Losing you
by Mercedes84
Summary: -Completed on the 30-07-2003- (YY-Y) Shounen Ai - After confessing their feelings to each other, Yugi is kidnapped. Without their mind link, can Yami find and save Yugi in time or will it be too late?
1. Present & 14 days prior

Hi there ^__^  
First of all this is going to be Yami/Yugi pairing so if you don't like boys being with boys, you know where the exit is. For everyone who stays I just want to say that I don't write lemons. There'll just be some fluff, no more, no less.   
  
Btw I'm German so I can't guarantee perfect English and in Germany Yu-Gi-Oh is currently at the duel between Joey and Bandit Keith (which starts today) so I don't know about anything that happens beyond that.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh and I won't ever own it.  
  
Something else: There might be some character death. I'm not sure yet. I want to try on a tearjerker... well we'll see about it.  
  
Another thing: The title may change during the process of writing.  
  
//….// Yami to Yugi  
  
/..../ Yugi to Yami  
  
".…"direct speech  
  
'….' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
~~~Present~~~  
  
He was holding his aibou's head on his shoulder his body resting in his lap. Yugi didn't respond to his pleads to wake up nor to the shaking he got while Yami wept on the floor never releasing him. Yami looked at Yugi's pale - almost white - face and brought a hand up to touch his aibou's cheek. He withdrew it quickly after feeling the cold skin beneath his fingers and just cried harder. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that after searching for the last weeks for Yugi he now returned home unmoving and cold carried by a stranger who knew his grandfather. This stranger and grandfather were currently talking in low voices, but Yami wasn't paying attention. It had just been two damn weeks his aibou had been missing. Yami knew that he had failed to protect him. He already knew it two weeks before when Yugi had been kidnapped….  
  
  
~~~14 days prior~~~  
  
Yugi couldn't have been happier. He had confessed his feelings to Yami the night before and found out that Yami felt the same. In some way he couldn't believe how lucky he was. He had always feared that Yami, as the proud pharaoh he had once been, would never allow himself to feel like this, but this fear had been unnecessary. Just because he had been a pharaoh didn't mean that he could not feel love. They had spent the night in each other arms being content to be with the other one. Yugi was making breakfast when suddenly strong arms wrapped around him from behind.   
Yugi smiled as Yami kissed his neck gently.   
//Morning aibou, slept well?// Yugi turned around and kissed Yami on his lips.   
/Never slept better/ was his only reply while he parted his own lips to let Yami's tongue in his mouth, something Yami did at once. Their tongues fought a second for dominance until Yugi gave in and let Yami take the lead. He could feel the Goosebumps all over his body especially the parts Yami's hands touched. In that moment they only existed for each other and they knew that this would always be the case.  
And because of that they didn't hear grandfather enter the kitchen and stayed locked in their kiss. They only pulled apart after grandpa cleared his throat   
/He doesn't know yet/ Yugi voice sounded almost desperate in Yami's head while he gave him a panicked look.   
//Seems like it's time to explain it now.//   
/What if he rejects us…/ Yami saw how uncertain and afraid Yugi was because of this thought   
//No matter what, aibou, I'll never leave your side.//   
/Promise?/   
//I promise.//   
  
  
Grandpa waited all the time the two talked to each other. He couldn't help but smile at the looks the two gave each other. He always knew that the two had feelings for each other and had wondered when they were going to confess these.   
"Grandpa I…" Yugi started, but he only shook his head.   
"It's ok Yugi. I was asking myself when you were going to tell Yami that you love him." At this Yami and Yugi stared in shock.   
"Y…You knew?!" Grandfather just chuckled   
"Well, when you're finished here I could need some help in the shop before you're going to meet your friends" With this grandfather went down to the shop, leaving two dumbfounded boys behind.   
//That was easier than I thought.// Yugi just nodded and continued to prepare breakfast.  
  
  
After eating the two went downstairs and helped grandpa to unpack some new duel monsters cards and other things he got for the game shop. Yugi was balancing on a stool to put a box on a sideboard which was nearly out of his reach. He stood on the tip of his toes to reach it, but before he could place it on top he lost his balance and the box slipped from his fingers. He would have fallen down if it hadn't been for strong arms which caught him. Looking up he saw Yami's face kindly smiling at him before he was put on his feet again.   
//Need help?// Yugi blushed slightly and nodded. He watched Yami as he picked the box up from the floor, stepped onto the stool and reached up to put the box away. Yugi had to concentrate to not start drooling because of Yami's shirt which tightened around his muscles while he had his arms above his head. Yugi quickly distracted himself with another box. After they finished helping they went to Burger World (a.n.: is the place where Tea works called like this in English?) to meet their friends.  
Yugi was deep in thought while they were going.   
'How are the others going to react when we tell them about our love for each other? I know that Ryou and Bakura are together but they didn't say it officially to us and none of the others talk about it. Does this mean that they don't accept them? Would they also reject us? /Should we even tell them?/'   
//Of course hikari.// Yugi nearly jumped out of his skin.   
//Sorry, didn't mean to startle you.//   
/It's ok./   
//You were thinking about how our friends are going to react.// It wasn't a question, more a statement.   
/Yeah… I'm worried. What if they reject us for loving each other? What if we lose our friends? What if - /   
//Aibou.//   
/I'm sorry but I can't help thinking like that./ Yami stopped in his track and faced Yugi.   
//Yugi, I told you I'll never leave you. Even if the whole world is against us.// Yami took Yugi by his shoulders and Yugi lost himself in Yami's crimson eyes   
//I'll always be there to protect you, no matter what.// Yugi sighed contently, leant forwards and kissed Yami while replying   
/Arigatou, Yami. I love you/   
//I love you too Yugi. Always and forever.//  
  
  
Joey was running through the streets.   
'Damn I'm going to be late.' They were supposed to meet at half past eleven and he just had a few minutes left for a way which took 10 minutes by walking. A glance at his watch told him that he had five minutes.   
'Or maybe not' He would be just on time if he continued running like this. He ran around a corner when he suddenly saw two boys with tri-colored hair he would recognize any time. He just wanted to shout to them to wait, when Yami stopped and faced Yugi who looked up to his other half. Joey could tell that they were communicating through their mind link.   
  
  
Joey slowed down to walk to them when suddenly Yugi kissed Yami. Yami wrapped his arms around Yugi and Joey could just stare in shock. Two of his best friends were just standing in the middle of the street and were kissing like there would be no tomorrow. It didn't take long to accept this information; on the contrary he had somehow expected this to happen, especially after the last weeks. The two had always been flirting with each other without realizing it since the way they had been flirting could also be considered as teasing. He grinned, walked up to Yugi and Yami and tapped Yugi on the shoulder.   
"Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds but we are going to be late." He said and winked to Yugi and Yami who blushed madly. He went past Yugi and whispered to Yami   
"If you hurt Yugi you are going to regret it."   
"I would never hurt my aibou." Joey grinned just wider and said out loud   
"Good, we better hurry." and ran ahead.   
/What did he tell you Yami?/ Yugi asked while trying to keep up with Yami. Yami noticed this and slowed down a bit.   
//Nothing important. See Yugi. There was no need to worry. And the others will accept us being together too.//   
  
  
Yami had been right. After arriving at the diner, Tea asked Joey why he was grinning like that. He said that she had to ask Yami and Yugi. And that was what she did. After some stuttering Yugi managed to tell his friends. Tristen, Ryou and Tea congratulated them while Bakura made some side remarks about the pharaoh finding his one and only true love. Yami just replied that Bakura would never manage to get with someone together. Bakura chose that moment to prove Yami wrong and started kissing Ryou, who blushed beet red, in front of everyone. Yami just grinned and sat down beside Yugi who took Yami's hand in his own.  
Everyone enjoyed the day and after eating they decided to go to Yugi's place since the shop had new cards. They took the longer way, which lead them through a park.   
In the park were some children who chased each other in order to catch the other never really successful but having fun. Yugi noticed how Yami watched the children in their game and decided to play a bit too.   
"Hey Yami, bet you would never get me." said Yugi while he ran out of the park. It took Yami a second to realize what Yugi meant before he grinned and gave chase.   
"Have fun, we see you at the game shop" shouted Tristen before Yami too left the park.   
Yami saw how Yugi ran across the street, but before Yami could follow the traffic light signaled red and that he had to wait. Yugi just laughed while he slowly went on as if he was mocking Yami.   
  
  
'Shit my boss really wants some fresh people to work for him. What should I do? The ones I chose were always too strong for me to catch. My partner won't help me. He just drives nothing more. If I mess this one up he'll force me to work there too. If I cannot give him someone, I'll be this someone.' He was sitting beside his partner in his black van which had to stop at a traffic light when a young boy with tri-colored hair ran across the street. The boy seemed full of energy while he laughed at his older brother, who also had tri-colored hair and had to wait because of the traffic light.   
"This one." He told his partner while going to the back to open the door.   
'The boss will be pleased with me.' He thought with a smirk.  
  
  
Yami watched his hikari walking on the pavement. A glance over the shoulder told him that his friends nearly caught up with them. He looked back at Yugi who was still smiling and teasing him. Yami saw a black van driving slowly towards Yugi.   
'Perhaps a stranger who asks for the right way.' He thought and tried to shrug his uneasy feeling off. The van blocked his view on Yugi for a second before he heard his aibou calling franticly.   
/Yami! Help, please! Yami!/ Ignoring the traffic light Yami ran across the street but he was too slow for the van which drove faster and away.   
//Aibou! Yugi!//   
/Yami, I'm scared! Please help me! Ya-/ a sharp pain in his temple abruptly cut the connection   
//Yugi? Yugi!!//   
/…/ another pain in the same place   
//Yugi!!//  
  
  
Yugi didn't think that anything was wrong when the van pulled up to him. But that changed as soon as the backdoor opened and he was forcefully pulled inside while the man covered his mouth to prevent him from crying out for help. The man couldn't know that this was in vain as Yugi shouted mentally for help   
/Yami! Help, please! Yami!/   
"Hey his brother is following us."   
//Aibou! Yugi!//   
"Then drive faster idiot!" Yugi struggled in the man's grip as the man reached out for something he couldn't see.   
/Yami, I'm scared! Please help me! Ya-/ He couldn't finish his call as he was hit hard with something cold and metallic.   
//Yu..…gi?.....Yu…..gi!// he heard Yami shouting but he couldn't reply, but he never heard Yami's last desperate shout because of the second hard blow at the same spot. He thought of Yami before unconsciousness overcame him.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued…..  
  
  
  
  
That was the first part. I actually wrote more than I intended to, but on the other side I could have written more about how the confessed to their friends but that doesn't belong to the main story so I kept it short.  
Hope you enjoyed it. Until the next time. And please comment. Even flames are welcome.  
  
  
Merce.  
  
- I just edited it a bit since some of the paragraphs got lost during the upload and I added some so the reading is easier (thanks for the suggestion Adrienne-Lillian) 


	2. 14 days prior & Present & 13 days prior

Hi again ^__^  
  
First of all, I want to thank the ones who reviewed. I am delighted. In the past hours I got more reviews in this short time period then ever before. *jumps around in joy* I should stop eating all the chocolate I got for Easter. Thank you who reviewed.  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian: Thanks for your suggestion. I even edited the first chapter. And for Yugi's destiny, well you'll see it as soon as I get to it. But he has still 2 weeks before him.  
  
@ Yami-Yugi: You asked for more. Here is more  
  
@ Oni Neko Tsumes: Well I can't tell you that. That would destroy all the suspense. ;)  
  
@ Karalen the Wood Elf: Hey I hope you didn't hurt yourself by falling off your seat. You should be careful. If you already fall down because of the first chapter, then I don't know what happens during the following one. I don't want to be the source for some future injuries ;)  
  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh  
  
  
Losing you   
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
He couldn't believe what just happened. His aibou, his love had just been kidnapped. And he didn't do anything to prevent it. He stood in the middle of the streets - not realizing the traffic jam he caused - and looked to where the van had vanished. He could hear Yugi begging for help again and again in his head until it got too much and he fell on his knees pressing both hands on his ears to block Yugi's voice out. That didn't help and it kept repeating like a broken record. He felt someone pulling him to his feet and off the street. He was too deep in his stupor to notice who the one was. He didn't even comprehend what this person said to him.  
  
  
"Hey looks like Yugi was faster than Yami." Joey pointed out to the others as soon as he saw Yami standing at the traffic light. Suddenly Yami started running right on the street and chased after a black van which was too fast for him.  
"What is the idiotic pharaoh doing? Trying to get killed?" Bakura asked after watching a car nearly hitting Yami before coming to a halt. Joey ran to Yami after Yami broke down on the road. He pulled Yami onto his feet while asking him what happened. Yami didn't reply. It was as if he was talking to a wall.   
"Yami, come on. What happened? Where is Yugi?" As soon as Joey said that he noticed that Yugi was probably the cause for the daze Yami was in. Tristen, Tea, Ryou and Bakura caught up with the two boys while Joey gripped Yami's shoulders tightly.  
"Yami answer me!" Joey shouted right into Yami's face. Still no response. He saw that Yami's eyes were out of focus and Yami seemed to not recognize him. He shook the other boy, but that didn't help either.  
"What's wrong with him?" Tea asked Joey.   
"I don't know, but I think something happened to Yugi." Bakura laughed short and shallow.  
"Seems like the great pharaoh, failed to protect his little hikari." Ryou stared in shock at Bakura while Yami collapsed again. He only stayed on his feet because of Joey who supported most of his weight.   
"Bakura!"  
"What? I'm only saying the truth, Ryou." Bakura glanced at Yami who still didn't react in any way.  
"God damn it pharaoh. Wake up." Bakura could deal with an arrogant Yami, but not with this one who didn't do anything to get his hikari back. Frustrated he did the only thing he could think of in that moment and punched Yami right in his face. The others stared in shock as Yami fell backwards on the floor.  
  
  
"Seems like the great pharaoh, failed to protect his little hikari." Yami felt his knees give in a second time in the past minutes.  
"Bakura!"  
"What? I'm only saying the truth, Ryou." He failed. Help.   
//Help me……Yugi, help me…..I can't live without you// He failed.   
/…../  
//Yugi..…no……not….Yugi…..Aibou….my hikari//  
"God damn it pharaoh. Wake up." A sharp pain brought his attention back to where he was. He could feel the blood trickling down his chin. His bottom lip was split. Looking around he found himself being on the floor.   
"Bakura!" Yami glanced up at Ryou who gave Bakura a look which said to better keep quiet. Yami looked down again before he whispered.  
"He was kidnapped." Joey kneeled down beside Yami.  
"What?"  
"Someone kidnapped him." Yami replied dully, his voice wasn't louder than a whisper.  
"What exactly happened?" asked Tristen while going to his knees on Yami's other side. Together Tristen and Joey pulled Yami to his feet.  
"Yugi. He ran across the street. I couldn't go because of the traffic light. There was that black van. It drove to Yugi. I… I just thought that it just was someone who wanted to ask for the right way….I didn't know….I should have known…..I should have protected him…. I should have been there for him….I couldn't do anything….I…" Yami's voice went from the mere muttering it was into frantic and fast talking until another punch sent him back to the floor causing his lip to bleed even more.  
"Bakura!"  
"What Ryou? It worked once, why not twice. Now listen, oh so great pharaoh. You screwed up. So what? Everyone makes mistakes. Now it's time to stop dwelling in your self-pity and search for your partner." This time Yami stood up on his own.  
'Bakura….thanks.' Yami nodded. Even if he hated to admit it, the tomb robber was right with the self-pity thing. He suppressed the urge to strangle Bakura because of how lightly he talked about this. He had more important things to do.   
"Whoever it was in this van, they pulled Yugi inside and took off. The last thing I heard was Yugi's terrified voice calling out for help." Yami finished.  
"Oh god, Yugi. We have to do something" Tea spoke softly while tears silently ran down her cheeks.  
"Yeah, but what?" Ryou replied.  
"Let's head back to the game shop. Grandpa needs to know." Joey replied.  
They headed towards the game shop, Bakura going behind everyone when suddenly something on the floor caught his attention. Grinning he bend down and picked up the millennium puzzle. He supposed that Yugi had lost it when he had been pulled into the van. He was going to put it into his pocket, but was stopped by a hand resting on his arm. Ryou was looking almost pleadingly into his eyes. Bakura growled, but nodded to his hikari. They caught up with the others, who didn't notice what the two had been doing. Bakura growled once more before he addressed Yami  
"Hey pharaoh." Yami turned to him and barely had time to react and catch the puzzle which Bakura tossed to him.  
"Try at least to keep that safe."  
  
  
Yami never felt that empty before since he got out of the puzzle after Yugi solved it. Half of his soul was missing. He tried repeatedly to talk through their mind link, always keeping his side open so he could hear Yugi. He didn't get a response. The only thing he sensed was a constant headache coming from the point where he had felt the pain earlier. He supposed that Yugi had been hit on his temple and because of that lost consciousness. That would explain the pain and why he didn't get an answer.   
"Hey pharaoh."  
'What?' Yami turned almost annoyed to Bakura and reacted out of instinct as Bakura threw something to him. Glancing down, his breath got caught in his throat. In his hands was Yugi's puzzle.  
"Try at least to keep that safe." Yami could just nod and continued to call through the link while he gripped the puzzle firmly. His friends seemed to know that he was busy trying to reach Yugi and didn't talk once to Yami on their way to Yugi's and Yami's home. Yami was exhausted, but he still kept on dragging himself towards his home. He needed to go on for Yugi's sake.  
  
  
He couldn't move much. The first thing he noticed was the murder migraine in his head. He moaned because of the pain and it prevented him from thinking clearly. As soon as he remembered what happened he called out in his mind.  
/Yami?/   
//…..// He tried to open his side of their shared link further, but stopped as soon as his headache nearly drove him unconscious again and left him feeling dizzier than before. The second thing he noticed was that his hands were tied behind his back and his feet were also tied together. Since calling for help in his mind didn't help, he tried it out loud, only to discover that whoever got him also gagged him. He slowly opened his eyes, but he couldn't see anything because of being blindfolded. The pain he felt in his head had lessened a bit, but not enough to reach out for his other half, but enough to think straight for now.   
'Seems like I am alone right now. Or it is also possible that the one who abducted me just ignores me.' He sighed and tried again to contact Yami, only to receive no answer.  
'Ok, I cannot reach Yami. I suppose the headache is to blame for that. That guy hit me twice in the same spot. I can add feeling ice cold and sick to my headache….There had been once in a movie a girl who fell from a horse hitting her head badly. She had had the same symptoms like I….Hell it hurts. That girl had been a bad actress. She hadn't looked like she was in any pain at all. Why can't I remember what they had diagnosed on her? …. Great. Someone kidnapped me and I am thinking about a movie I saw once.' He winced in pain as he tried to move his numb arms and legs.  
'Argh, moving is bad. I shouldn't try that again too soon. I can't cry out for help nor can I see where I am or move at all. I have to be inside a building, since there is no wind at all. I don't think that I'm still in the car, because the ground isn't moving, not that I can tell that for sure. Why am I suddenly feeling so hot, but yet I'm shivering and cold…. and….God it hurts. I never thought that simple thinking can hurt too….Concussion…. she had been diagnosed with concussion. That's bad….I mustn't fall asleep. That could end deadly….I have to get out….First I should be able to move without hurting myself before I can think of running away….I'm tired….Mustn't fall asleep…mustn't….' He stopped thinking to relax just for a few minutes, but he ended passing out again.  
He didn't know how much time had passed since he woke up last time, but he felt even worse than before. He noticed a slight shaking of the ground.   
'Am I in a car after all?' He began panicking.  
'If I'm in a car which is always moving…. It'll be impossible for Yami to find me. Oh God. What can I do? Please help me. Someone - anyone - please help me. /Help./'  
//Yu….gi?!//  
/Yami!!/  
//…..//  
/Yami! Answer me Yami. Please! Yami!/ Yugi started to cry, sobs shaking his body and hurting his feverish and injured head even more. He cried until he passed out from exhaustion and the never leaving pain.  
  
  
They reached the shop sooner as Yami expected. Since he didn't pay attention to anything else then his mind link, he missed that the night already began to fall. They went inside and upstairs to tell grandpa that Yugi was missing. Yami let his friends explain the situation and concentrated on his side of the shared link. He tried to expand his end even wider and received a big headache which stood like a wall between him and the other end of the link. He was brought back to present by grandfather sitting on the couch, face in his hands and sobbing uncontrollably into them. Leaving the link open like it was he went over to the couch and put Yugi's millennium item carefully onto the table. He sat down beside grandpa and took him into his arms. He knew Yugi would do the same if he was here.   
'Damn he wouldn't need to do it, since grandfather wouldn't cry his eyes out if he had been here.' He pushed that thought aside and offered grandpa the comfort the old man needed.  
/Help./ The call was faint and Yami first thought that grandpa pleaded for help. He realized a second later that the voice had been Yugi's and not grandfather's. He sat straight up. The others noticed the change in his behavior and the familiar look in his eyes he always had while talking to Yugi through their link and they held their breathes.  
//Yugi?// Nothing. Just the wall of pain. He tried again and again, always with the same result. He cried out in frustration and gave in to the thing that threatened to happen since Yugi was hauled into the van. He started to cry. No one knew what to do. There was Yami, the proud pharaoh who once in the past lead Egypt and was never affected by anything or anyone, now weeping like a small frightened child and couldn't stop on his own. Grandfather pulled Yami into his arms and let Yami cry on his shoulder while Yami clung to him as if he feared that grandpa would vanish too if he let go of him.   
  
  
  
  
~~~Present~~~  
  
The tears he shed in the first night. They were nothing compared to the ones he cried now. He had fallen asleep later in that night still holding on to grandfather. And even while sleeping the tears didn't stop for a very long time. Grandpa was now coming towards him and Yugi.  
"Yami." Yami just shook his head. He wouldn't give up now.  
"Yami, it's too late. Yugi knew the risk." He nearly choked on his own words.  
"No."  
"You need to let go, Yami." Yami just tightened his grip on Yugi and shook his head.  
"Please Yami be sensible."  
  
  
  
~~~13 day prior~~~  
  
"I am sensible, grandpa."  
"We should let the police do the searching." Grandfather tried for a last time to talk Yami out of his mission he gave himself. He couldn't bear the thought that he could lose Yami too. Ever since he got his own body, Yami had always been like another grandson for him.  
"Sorry, but I can't just sit and wait until they find something." Yami was currently scanning through old newspapers while the TV was showing the current news. The puzzle was still on the table where he had placed it yesterday. Yami was sure he had heard somewhere on the news that the number of children simply disappearing had increased for the past months. He was hoping to find any leads where he should start searching.  
"I don't want to lose you too." Yami looked up from the newspaper after hearing grandfather softly muttering these words. He got up from the couch and went over to grandpa who was looking out of the window. Standing beside him he looked out too. There on the street below were children playing.  
"Who said that Yugi is already lost?" Yami asked grandfather still watching the kids running around.  
"You don't have your connection…"  
"I do." Yami interrupted rather sharply, before continuing softly.  
"I just can't hear him right now."  
"Is there any difference?" Yami couldn't believe how negative Yugi's grandfather spoke. But after considering how he reacted yesterday he understood perfectly. A small impassive smile was on Yami's lips before he replied.  
"Yes. There is a difference." Grandfather looked up to Yami as he went on.  
"The link is still there, even if it is silent." He turned towards grandpa and looked into his eyes.   
"But as long as the link is there, Yugi is alive. So I won't give up." He went back to the newspapers. Grandfather watched him for a few minutes then sat down beside him and took another newspaper from the pile Yami still had to look through scanning for any information which might help.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued…..  
  
  
  
  
Another chapter finished. I've never been inspired like this before and I hope you enjoyed it in some way. The scene with Yugi thinking was perhaps a bit long, but it's not like Yugi has something else to do.  
I was struggling at the second present scene. I never thought I could write something like this. I didn't intend to write another present scene so soon, but I thought it would fit. I'll see if there'll be more present scenes, but I don't intend to write more until the end.  
  
  
Well anyway, please review. I need some comments - like every writer does.  
Merce. 


	3. 13 days prior & 12 days prior

I'm back ^__^  
I'm currently ignoring some chores I should do, because I just can't stop writing. I hope you enjoy reading it, like I enjoy writing it. Even so I am the one who creates it I'm still anxious to see how it goes on. My mind surprises me with new ideas during the process of writing ^__^  
Disclaimer: I never will own Yu-Gi-Oh *sigh*  
Thanks to the ones who reviewed ^__^  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: *blushes* thanks for the high praise and the two reviews (I got your first after I uploaded the second chapter so I didn't get to reply to your first one). I'm flattered that it went straight to your favs list. Also I didn't really get what you meant with the jealousy XD. Like I said to everyone, I won't tell if he is going to be alright or not and threatening me won't help ;)  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian: Good question. I originally didn't intend to do it this long. But then I started to write down what I want to have in the story and that didn't fit into less (perhaps 2 or 3 days less, but I didn't want to rush it like this). I currently have a time line I'm sticking to in two colors (black for what I already wrote and red for what I'm planning to write). The last time I saw that much red was when I got my math test back *g*.  
  
@ Karalen the Wood Elf: *hands over a big pillow* You should place that under your chair ;) I know that Yami needs Yugi and you'll see in the next chapter how Yugi's disappearance actually affects him.  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…"direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
They were half through the pile, but they just had found some names of the parents whose children were missing. Yami's frustration grew more and more with each newspaper he read through. But he was too stubborn to give up. He would ask every one of these parents if necessary. Glancing up at the TV he saw some president of a company talking about his success. He wanted to switch to another station, but a strange feeling stopped him and he listened. The picture changed and showed a reporter who was talking about the discovery of a diamond mine somewhere at the Japanese borders. The picture now showed some well lit caves with workers smiling while working on the walls to find diamonds. The reporter told that this company created many jobs, made no pollution and got somehow on top of the list with the companies who spent the least money on his projects. As the reporter asked how the head of the company did it, the man just smiled and said that this was his little secret.   
Yami didn't like this man from the beginning. He just seemed to perfect and his smile made Yami feel like throwing up. He thought that there was something fishy about this man and memorized his name before switching to another station. K. Thompson. Yami shook his head and returned to the newspapers.   
'Yugi's disappearance just made me paranoid. I don't have time for someone who just doesn't pay the taxes or something like that.' Grandfather seemed also to be frustrated with their paper research and went to phone to the police to ask if some leads had been found.  
//Aibou, where are you?//   
  
  
Two persons held him by his arms which were still numb because of the insufficient blood circulation in them.  
"This is all you could get, Jack?" Yugi didn't know to whom this voice belonged. He was still blindfolded and tied up.   
"Even if he was full of strength, like you said, he isn't now. You failed again Jack. You should have used chloroform or something like that instead of hitting him, idiot." This man spoke way too loud for Yugi's head and he concentrated on not wincing in pain. He wouldn't give them this satisfaction. He already felt weak for being supported like that, but he didn't think that he could hold himself up even if his life depended on it.  
"I...I'm sorry."  
"Set him to his feet and then leave."  
"But boss, he's still out."  
"Why do I only have idiots around me? If you hadn't noticed, he is awake." Yugi was shocked to find out that the man had approached him soundlessly and was now standing in front of him. The cologne of this man made him feel more nauseous than he already was. He was terrified.   
'If this man doesn't treat his own men friendly, how is he going to treat me?' Yugi felt how the two who held him up put him on his own feet and let go of him. As soon as they let go Yugi swayed on his feet and started to fall, only to be caught by the men again.  
"Jack! You are supposed to find kids who can work for me! No one said anything about beating them until they are useless. I already told you that once"  
"I...I'm so-sorry." Stammered the one who was addressed as Jack.  
"Do something right and take this brat to Smith. I want the kid in the mines in three days and not later. Understand?"  
"Yes, sir."  
Yugi felt himself being half carried, half dragged out of the room.   
They soon reached another room. Yugi took the sent of the room in and immediately compared it with the one of a hospital. The men threw him roughly on something soft and left. Yugi moaned in pain as soon as he hit the bed. The dragging and shaking he had received hadn't helped his headache at all. He stiffened when he felt something cold and wet touch his forehead.  
"Shush, now, little one. I'll help you until the doc returns." The voice seemed to belong to a boy. The boy removed the gag, while still wetting Yugi's hot forehead. Yugi hissed as the boy touched his temple with the cloth he was using. Yugi tried to ask the boy who he was, but didn't manage it due to his dry mouth. The boy removed carefully the blindfold. Yugi slowly opened his eyes, but shut them at once because of the light which him. With closed eyes Yugi could feel the boy freeing him from the ropes around his feet and hands.  
"Let me guess. The one called Jack caught you." Yugi nodded softly.  
"How...?" His voice was barely above a whisper.  
"Oh, you mean how I knew? You are the second one he caught. But compared to the last one you... ah, never mind. Here drink that." The boy helped Yugi, who still kept his eyes closed, into a sitting position and put the glass to his lips. Yugi drank gratefully and let the other boy helping him. He could hardly feel his arms and legs while he tried to support some of his weight. He failed miserably at that and the boy help him to lie down again. Yugi tried to open his eyes again and discovered that it didn't hurt that bad anymore. He looked at the boy, but he couldn't see him clearly since everything in his vision was blurry.   
"You should rest a bit more." Yugi waited until his eyes got back to focus and looked again at his helper. The boy had long black hair and blue eyes and a friendly face. He could see that the boy was taller than him and Yugi reckoned that the boy was as old as he.  
"Thanks for your help." Yugi said and found out that his voice sounded now stronger than before.  
"My name is Yugi Mutou. Who are you?"  
"You can call me Tom."  
"Where are we?"  
"In some mines. The big boss here kidnaps kids and lets them work until they are too weak for it and die"   
"That's horrible."  
"You say it."   
"Do you know what time it is?" Tom just shrugged and Yugi observed that Tom's arm was bandaged.  
"Sometime in the middle of the night."  
"What happened to you?"   
"Oh, that's nothing. Just fell unluckily onto my arm." Yugi had regained some feeling in his arms and sat up, just to lie warily down with a whimper again.   
"I told you that you should rest. You're only getting worse, if you continue to move around like this." Yugi's head swam and he had a hard time to concentrate on Tom, especially now that he saw three Toms whirling around.  
"Yo, mate, stay with me." Tom's voice seemed to be far-away as Yugi's eyes rolled up into his head and he passed out.   
  
  
Jonathan Smith didn't have a good life. He was forced to work for this maniac who considered himself as brilliant for the idea of letting children do the work. He was now carrying a child who lost consciousness due to the work which was too hard for her to accomplish and due to the beatings she got because she couldn't do the work. He sighed sadly as he reached the hospital wing to tend the young one's wounds. He wished that he wasn't such a coward. He should tell the police about the methods K. Thompson used to be successful. But for two things he didn't dare to do this. One thing was that Thompson made threats to him because of the illegal experiments he did before he got to know Thompson. Thompson saved him from prison with one condition. He had to work for him. Smith had been young and foolish. Today he would prefer the prison than doing these things to the children, but he had no choice.   
It took Jonathan a long time to see the reality and he told Thompson that he quit. Thompson just laughed and said that if he leaves his wife would be dead before he could even warn her. And even if the boss wouldn't threat him with these things, he thought that telling the police wouldn't help. The chief officer had always been buyable. So he didn't have a choice and did everything to make the kids somehow comfortable. But he knew that this was impossible.  
He went to one of the beds and put the small girl in it after bandaging her injuries. He decided to look after his other patient. Tomas was regularly his patient. He stood up for the younger and weaker children and held out their punishments.  
"Yo, mate, stay with me." Jonathan wondered with whom Tom was talking when he saw another boy with tri-colored hair on the bed. In an instant, he was at Tom's side checking the boy's injuries.   
"Do you know who brought him in?" He asked Tomas while looking for the boy's pupil dilation. He was surprised at the purple eye color and he thought that he had seen this boy somewhere before.  
"I didn't see him, but shorty here said that it had been Jack."   
"Did he tell you his name?" John hadn't seen this boy once so he knew that he had to be new. Also his clothes showed that he hadn't worked in the mines yet. They were still undamaged and clean - something that would change soon. Smith cleaned the wound on the boy's temple and picked the boy up to do some x-ray of the skull.  
"Yeah, his name is Yugi Mutou." Jonathan nearly dropped Yugi in shock. He had been Yugi's grandfather's friend before he got to know Thompson. That had been ages ago. He shook his head and x-rayed Yugi's skull. After that he placed Yugi onto the bed again, and studied the X-ray.   
"So how's the diagnosis for shorty?" The doctor took some bandages and pain killers out of a shelter, bandaged Yugi's head up and gave him an injection of the pain killers.  
"Concussion, and please don't call him shorty."  
"You know this Mutou, don't you?" Before John could reply, Jack came into the hospital wing and demanded to know when - in Jonathan's opinion - the boy could get to work.  
"Not until next week. He was lucky that his skull didn't break." At this Jack looked shocked for a brief moment, but he recovered seconds later and said while leaving.  
"He has three days." After they were alone Tom stated before heading to his own bed  
"You overdid it a bit, doc. Shorty isn't dying so soon."  
"Serves Jack right." John replied before muttering to himself. "But I'm not so sure about the dying. Working in his condition could kill him sooner than expected."  
  
  
  
~~~12 days prior~~~  
  
Yami had now a list with all the victims and the victims' family names and addresses. Joey, Tea, Tristen and Ryou had joined him earlier this morning. They split in two groups and divided the list. Joey and Yami headed together to the first address of a family called Miller. The woman who opened the door first didn't want to answer any questions telling them that she didn't trust the police anymore. But after Yami explained her that they worked on their own and not with the police, she hesitantly let them in.  
"Why are you interested in this? The police are searching for my daughter for months and didn't find anything. Why do you think, you may be able to find something?" While Joey answered that they wouldn't give their friend up, Yami was in thought.  
'She has lost hope to find her daughter alive. It had already been too long for her. I just wish that I can rise her hope again and more important that we find Yugi and with a bit of luck the other children too.' Mrs. Miller was just about to throw the two boys out again, when unexpectedly a small boy came into the living room and said.  
"Mom, please. I want my sister back. I miss Sandy and they just want to help." The boy walked over to Yami, looked up and asked.  
"Are you missing your sister too?" Yami crouched down so the boy didn't need to look up.  
"No, but I'm missing my partner."  
"I'm sure you'll find him. Would it be too much if I ask you to look for Sandy too?" Yami couldn't help but smile at the young boy, who had so much faith in them.  
"I'll do my best."  
After much asking they just found a few things out. The girl had been a bit younger than Yugi. She had been playing in the park with five of her friends and none of them had returned home. After checking his list Yami noticed that all the friends' names mentioned were on his list. Mrs. Miller also told them an address of a man who had witnessed how the 6 children had been lured into a black van. They thanked Mrs. Miller and decided to first visit this man before they went on with their list. Yami had a feeling that they were on the right track.  
//Aibou, I'll find you.//   
  
  
  
To be continued…..  
  
  
To everyone who got confused by the doctor's name. His name is Jonathan Smith, but he is called John by the kids - or in Tom's case simply doc (damn Star Trek influence ^__^).  
The next chapter will be up very soon. I already finished it but I want to reread it a bit and add some things. I'll try to post it on Monday, but I can't promise anything.  
Just one short comment: Please review and thanks ^__^  
  
Merce. 


	4. 12 days prior & 11 days prior & Dream

I'm currently hitting myself on my fingers, because I'm already writing the end of the story while the middle part is still somewhere hidden in my mind -_-°   
  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian: About the happy or sad ending - I don't comment. I feel like kicking the ass of this manager too. I'm starting to hate myself for creating such evil. I had to smile at your breathing exercise. You'll see in this chapter why so.   
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…"direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
  
  
It was night when they returned to the Turtle Game Shop. To say that Yami was frustrated would have been an understatement. They had visited everyone on the list and everyone else who was anyhow related into a disappearance of a child. So far they had only found dead ends.   
They had only some facts Yami had already witnessed when Yugi had been abducted. It had always been bright daylight when the children had been kidnapped. There had always been a black van in which the children had been lured / hauled in. If a witness had seen the license plate, the plate had been found in a trash can. The direction, the van took had been north. They were some who had been able to follow the van, but they always lost them in Tokyo. (a.n. Since Domino City doesn't really exist, I put it a few kilometers to the south of Tokyo)  
"Did you find anything?" grandpa came into the living room where everyone sat, resting after walking around all day.  
"Just dead ends. Did the police find anything?"  
"No, nothing." Yami sighed. He had been sure that they would find something, but apparently they didn't search enough, or they searched in the wrong places. He closed his eyes and laid his head back onto the backrest of the couch. He was both physically and mentally exhausted and desperately needed some rest. The sleep he had gotten last night hadn't helped much since he just had had nightmares. He didn't notice that he was already nodding off until his friends said goodbye and jerked him awake again.  
"Go to bed Yami." Grandpa tried to pull him to his feet, but he refused.  
"No, not yet. I think I missed something during our investigations."  
"You are too tired for this right now."  
"No, it's-"  
"No, it's not. Go to bed now young man." Yami got up, but not without muttering something under his breath.  
"I'm 5000 years old. I'm older than you." He went to the room he usually shared with Yugi. Everything inside this room reminded him of Yugi and it was painful for Yami to be in it. He slid into the bed, taking in the sent of Yugi that still clung to the bed sheets. Silent tears ran down his cheeks as he cried himself to sleep.  
  
  
  
~~~11 days prior~~~  
  
Yami woke up sometime midday, but stayed in bed. He felt like all his energy had gone and had left him drained. He didn't want to get up and face another day without Yugi. It had just been three days since Yugi was kidnapped and he already lost his will to go on. He curled up in a fetus like position, clinging to the pillow which smelled like Yugi. He couldn't go on. He just couldn't. He hadn't heard anything from Yugi. Their shared connection remained silent even so he called every free second he had.   
Moaning softly, he turned around in the bed. He saw Yugi laying there on his usual side of the bed, but in the next moment the vision vanished into thin air and he knew that it had only been wishful thinking. He stared at the empty spot and he could already feel how his sanity slowly began to slip away. Deep in his mind he figured out that if he would give up like this, Yugi would be lost. But this time his heart was louder than his mind. It was hurt and screamed to get Yugi back now. He turned his back to Yugi's side of the bed so that he didn't need to see the sad truth and let out a quiet groan. But still with his back turned to it, he missed Yugi's soft arms around his body. He missed Yugi's warmth when Yugi was leaning against his back. He missed the familiar weight which pushed the mattress on Yugi's side down.  
Yami clasped his hands over his ears and tried to block these thoughts out. He needed all his concentration and attention if he wanted to get Yugi back. The short determination he felt at this thought was crushed as he felt the heaviness of Yugi's absence in his heart. His hands gripped his head, feeling the unusual hotness emanating from his forehead, before clinging back on the pillow, but it was in vain. He couldn't escape his thoughts. He bit his lower lip and reopened the split he got from Bakura's fist. The blood mixed with his unnoticed tears on his cheeks and dropped onto the pillow in his arms. More blood ran down the side of his face as he bit harder on his lip fighting against the urge to cry his agony out in one scream. He didn't want to give grandpa a scare for his life by being found in his present condition or wailing like a small child.  
He pressed his face in the pillow to muffle the sobs that escaped his mouth, his whole body shaking while losing control and sobbing in the pillow which was now in some spots tainted with the blood-tears-mixture.   
Red dots dancing in front of his closed eyes signaled him that he needed to pull his head from the pillow and to calm down his sobbing to get some oxygen in his lungs. He was sweating like he was in a hellfire, which fitted considered to the hell he was currently living through. He could feel the heat radiating from his body. Feeling light-headed, he pulled away from the pillow and inhaled hungrily. He had been still fighting against the urge to cry out loudly and was now whimpering in his struggle to prevent the scream from leaving his body until he couldn't hold it back anymore. All his emotions - loneliness, anguish, sorrow, helplessness, distress - all the torture, pain and suffering his mind caused him were expressed into this one yell.  
  
  
Grandpa was in the shop. He wasn't really paying attention to what he was doing. He had hoped to distract himself a bit, by doing his work, but that didn't help at all. In the middle of the day Tea, Tristen and Joey came to hear if there was anything new. Grandfather just shook his head.  
"Where is Yami? Is he out searching again?" Tristen asked.  
"The last time I checked on him, he was still sleeping." Grandfather answered and looked up the stairs. Tea had tears in her eyes as she said.  
"Poor Yami. He really had been exhausted yesterday." Joey nodded.  
"Yeah, he barely realized that we were leaving. Yugi's disappearance really takes his toll on him."  
"It's hurting him beyond everything imaginable. He tries to hide it, but it's hard not to notice. Especially last night. I could hear him crying, but as soon as he heard me coming towards their bedroom he silenced himself and pretended to sleep when I checked on him." None of them spoke for a moment.   
"We should-" Tea was interrupted by a scream coming from upstairs. What stroked them most wasn't the volume of the scream, but the emotions in it. They all ran upstairs to Yami's and Yugi's bedroom. They were shocked to find Yami gasping for air as if there wasn't enough he could take in. Grandpa rushed to Yami's side, pulled the breathless boy into his arms and rubbed his back to calm the pharaoh down while whispering senseless soothing words. Looking back he saw the three speechless friends, all staring at Yami who didn't calm down at all. Grandfather didn't know what else he could do to ease Yami's breathing which he was still taking in like a fish stranded on land. Simple rubbing and talking to the distressed boy didn't help at all. He could feel the heat coming from his body and reaching up to his forehead confirmed his fear. Yami had fallen ill due to his distress and was burning up.   
"Tea, Joey please get some water to drink, a bowl with ice water and a washcloth." Both teens nodded and ran off to get the demanded things. Joey came a few moments back first with the water to drink. Grandpa supported Yami with his own body while putting the glass to Yami's bloody lips which were a big contrast to his ash grey face. Even so Yami was pale, his cheeks were flushed slightly as a sign for his rising body temperature. He noticed the distant look in Yami's eyes and supposed that Yami didn't realize what was happening around him because of his feverish mind and lack of oxygen.  
"Drink Yami, it will help."  
  
  
Yami was shocked and terrified. After he let out the scream he couldn't breathe properly anymore. He was gasping, his lungs screaming for air, but it didn't work. If he continued like this, he felt that he would suffocate. His panic increased as his eyesight went from fuzzy to blackness. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard, how a door was banged open. He was pulled into a sitting position while someone 'Grandpa?' was rubbing his back. He heard the man whisper words. The way how he whispered these they sounded like a mantra in his ears. Even so the mantra was in someway soothing, he couldn't fight the panic he felt for not getting enough air and losing his sight down. And in his current condition, his thoughts were focused on Yugi and how he screwed up, only increasing his panic.  
'How am I going to help my aibou? I cannot do anything. I failed to protect him. I failed to find him. And I didn't even try today to find him. I already gave up on him. Yugi, please come back, I need you.' Something cool was placed to his lips and an order in the back of his mind told him to drink the contents of the glass. He coughed the first sips out again, but managed to drink the rest of the bit that was offered to him. His mind and view cleared a bit and he could blurrily make out grandfather, who he was leaning against, Joey and Tristen, who both looked concerned. Tea came into his sight with a glass bowl in her hands. He turned his head to look at the bowl. He saw ice and a cloth swimming in the water. His view was blocked when grandpa lowered him back onto the bed.  
"He seems to be able to breath normally again." Tea's voice came from a distance, but he noticed that she was right. His breath was still raspy, but the oxygen reached his lungs again. He sighed in relief, but shuddered as soon as something cold touched the side of his face. The coldness vanished shortly, only to return a second later at his chin. Before he could react the cold and damp thing moved again. This time it stayed on his forehead and a bit over his eyes, blocking his view completely. He didn't like it at all. It made his teeth chatter and he tried to pull away from it. It slipped from his forehead but it was placed back there. A voice in his mind commanded him to stop avoiding it and that it will help him, so he endured it and slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
Grandpa first thought that Yami wouldn't even be able to drink a bit, after he coughed most of it out again. He sighed in relief as the rest of the bit he gave to the boy was almost hungrily swallowed down. He noticed that Yami's eyes slid more in focus, but they remained a bit unfocused. He saw that Yami's gaze followed Tea, or more the bowl Tea was carrying. He let the boy lay back down.   
"He seems to be able to breath normally again." Grandpa saw that too and nodded. Then he took the cloth and after wringing it out a bit he turned back to Yami who sighed softly. He started to wash the blood away. He felt the boy shivering and pulled with one hand the blanked up while his other moved from Yami's cheek to his mouth where he had reopened his cut. In the bowl he washed the blood out of the cloth before laying it gently onto Yami's forehead. Yami moved his head away from the cold. Grandfather scolded him softly  
"Stop pulling away Yami, I'm just trying to help." Yami seemed to listen to grandpa as he kept perfectly still, before he nodded off.  
  
  
Yugi wasn't really sleeping nor was he fully awake while Jonathan was struggling to get his fever down. The doctor had been shocked to find Yugi without any reason gasping for breath when he was about to give him some fever reducing medicine. The medicine didn't help at all and the temperature stayed up. He asked Tom to try to cool him with the cloth down. While Tom washed Yugi's pale but yet flushed cheeks with the cloth he already used earlier, John was searching through his cabinet for stronger medicine only to find none. When he returned to Yugi's side he was glad to find that his breathing had eased a bit. Tom was just placing a glass back onto the nightstand beside the bed after giving the delirious boy something to drink who was now slipping back to sleep. Tom put the washcloth on Yugi's forehead.  
"Found anything doc?" John shook his head.  
"I fear that we have to wait until his fever falls on his own."  
  
  
~~~Dream~~~  
  
Everything around him was on fire. Yugi could feel the heat searing from it as he pushed himself against the wall behind him. He was trapped and started to panic, causing him to come close to hyperventilation.  
"Help me. Please someone help me." In a response the fire started to come closer to him. Before it could touch him it started to rain. The fire wasn't put out. It withdrew and Yugi could still feel the hotness of it. He could see the black walls in the room illuminated by the fire. But yet he was shivering and soaking wet in the cold rain. He sat down on the ground, his back resting against the wall. He drew his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them while resting his head on his knees. He was so cold and tired. More important, he missed Yami. He was used to have Yami constantly at his side. Now without being able to talk to and feel Yami through their connection, he felt like half of his soul was missing. He cried into his knees while tightening his grip on his legs. Strong arms were unexpectedly wrapped around him.  
  
  
He was suddenly in a black room with flames licking at the walls while it rained.   
'It's raining in a closed room?' He was blinded by the light of the fire which was reflected on the wet floor and wandered around. Soon he was drenched and freezing. The fire was cracking loudly, but he thought that he heard someone sobbing above the noise. He heard the sound again followed it until he spotted the source of it. His heart missed a beat and nearly broke as he saw the shaking form of his hikari. In a rush, he dropped to his knees in front of Yugi and hugged him.  
"Aibou." His voice broke and left him as he finally held his hikari close. He knew that this was a dream and he hoped that it didn't turn into a nightmare. Yugi's head snapped up after hearing his voice. Yami pulled away to look into Yugi's eyes. They locked their gazes for a few seconds before Yugi jumped into his arms to be embraced, while he clung to Yami's body and cried. Yami whispered soothing words into Yugi's ear until Yugi calmed down.  
"Yugi, do you know where you are?" Yugi moved so he could look into Yami's eyes which were partly covered by his wet hair drooping into his face. Yami saw Yugi's confusion before he shook his head.  
"In a dream?" Yami nodded.  
"Yeah, but I didn't mean this. I was asking if you knew where that blasted van took you." Yugi seemed to concentrate hard on that question, but shook his head again. Yami tried to reach out through their mind link, but he still found it silent.  
"Aibou, do you hear something through our link." He saw that Yugi was listening to their connection and after a moment he shook his head again. He concentrated again on their link and he could barely feel Yugi's presence. It was faint, but it was there. Yugi broke his concentration as he put his head on Yami's right shoulder and nuzzled Yami's neck. Yami could instantly feel the wonderful sensation Yugi's lips caused on his neck. Yugi wasn't satisfied with simply nuzzling and started to kiss and suck on Yami's neck, slowly moving up to his cheek until finally finding his darker half's lips. Yami immediately responded, intensifying their kiss while the fire around them shot higher in a reaction to their passion.  
  
  
  
To be continued…..  
  
  
I hope that this cliffy isn't that evil. School started today again, so I won't have that much time anymore. So the next chapter will take some time.  
  
I try to hurry and please comment,  
Merce. 


	5. 10 days prior & Dream

@ Karalen the Wood Elf: Sadly the fast updating will end (darn school – just takes time away I could use to write ;) ) I'll try to update weekly now (I want to have holidays again T.T) I'm currently surprising myself – I didn't know that I could write such a angst story and I'm glad you like it ^__^. Again, I won't comment about the present (where would be the suspense if I would tell you)  
  
@ Mikomi: Most-read-all-chapters-until-the-end list? An interesting name and thanks ^__^  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian: I shortly thought about writing a lemon, but I decided against it. There is just some kissing, no more, no less ^__^ I totally agree about the suffering, but that will have to wait. And what is an irresistable PDE?  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: I hope that I updated soon enough for you. Damn school keeps me too busy -_-°.  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…"direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
~~~10 days prior~~~  
  
Yami didn't know how much time had passed since he had entered this dream, not did he care. He sat beside Yugi who leaned against him and had his head on his shoulder while Yami leaned his own head against Yugi's. He was holding Yugi close with one arm and he used his other to caress Yugi's exposed arm which was in a hug around him. No words were exchanged, each one content to be with the other one.   
They had talked before and discovered that neither Yami nor Yugi could remember in their dream what had happened after Yugi was hauled into the van. The fire had gone out sometime before and the rain had stopped, leaving the two teens cold wet to warm each other.   
Yami looked at Yugi as he started to move out of his arms and sat onto his lap catching his lips into another kiss. Yami teased Yugi shortly with refusing to open his mouth at first as his hikari's tongue tapped slightly against his other half's lips begging to be let in. And before Yugi could draw back with disappointment he opened his mouth, moaning softly into Yugi's mouth while they fought for dominance. He was stunned when Yugi didn't let him take the lead like he always did and lost the little battle in his surprise. Soon he enjoyed being for once the submissive part, letting Yugi do with his lips and tongue as he pleased. Yugi slowly drew back, Yami following his movement silently pleading not to stop. He could feel Yugi grinning slightly while withdrawing. Instead of pulling apart, his lips wandered down his neck again sucking, biting and kissing. Yami tilted his head back to expose his skin further while Yugi continued with kissing him gently.  
One moment he was enjoying the feeling Yugi caused to him, the next he sat straight up feeling strange and light-headed. Tenderly he lifted Yugi out of his lap. He saw how his hands and the rest of his body became transparent. Then the realization struck him; he was waking up. Yugi suddenly clang to him, sobbing into his shirt.  
"No, please don't leave me alone." Yugi's frightened voice was the last thing he heard, before he vanished completely.  
  
  
He woke up, feeling slightly disorientated. Reaching out he just found the silent link.   
'Just a dream…' He was alone in their semi-dark room. He got out of the bed and went to the window to open the curtains. By looking at the sun, he could tell that it was early evening and a quick glance at the clock confirmed this.   
'I just slept for a few hours. I hope one day won't be crucial to find Yugi.' He went to the living room and searched for grandpa. He found him in the kitchen, cooking something. Grandpa turned around after he heard Yami coming in. Before Yami could say anything he was gently pushed into a kitchen chair and grandpa scolded him slightly.  
"You shouldn't be out of bed." Yami just looked confused at this. All he knew was that he hadn't had any energy to search for Yugi.   
"Why? I don't understand." As soon as he said that he remembered feeling very warm before and having problems with breathing.  
"You have been sleeping since yesterday afternoon, Yami, and most of the time you had been delirious." Yami's mouth dropped open in shock.  
"Since yesterday? You mean I slept over 24 hours?" 'What about my Aibou. A few hours don't matter, but a whole day can be crucial for him. Is he alright? I couldn't do anything yesterday. I would never forgive myself if something happens to him because of that.' His silent ranting was interrupt by a plate of soup placed in front of him.  
"Eat that Yami, than go back to bed." Yami knew that he couldn't do anything during the night and got up.  
"Thanks grandpa, but I don't need to eat."  
"Just because you don't need to, doesn't mean that you can't." He sat down again and sighed. While eating, he asked grandpa if there was anything new, but just got a sad no. After he finished the soup he went to the bathroom. He splashed some water in his face, before he turned to head to bed again. Something caught his attention in the mirror. He frowned while touching the side of his neck.  
"What the hell…?" Beneath his fingers he could see a mark caused by sucking on skin.  
  
  
Yugi woke up sometime later. It took some seconds to realize where he was. He fought the tears back, as he thought about how happy he had been just moments ago and that this all had been just a dream. Sighing sadly he didn't hear someone enter the room until he heard a harsh voice he was already familiar with.  
"The three days are up Smith."  
"No Jack, he can't yet. He's still too weak for it." Yugi recognized the first voice and closed his eyes, trying to fake sleep. Whoever the second man was, he seemed to try to keep him in the hospital, an idea that currently sounded very appealing to Yugi considering his headache. When the two talked again they weren't anymore at the entrance but beside Yugi.  
"Wake him up."  
"Jack, I don't-"  
"Wake him up, now!" Jonathan sighed sadly and against better judgment tried to shake Yugi gently awake. That simple movement was enough for Yugi to moan slightly in pain before he opened his eyes. He looked from one man to another. He could tell directly who was who, since the contrast between the two men couldn't have been greater. He supposed that the man with the brown eyes which showed warmth and gentleness belonged to this Smith or how he was called, while the one with the blue cold and hard ones' had to belong to Jack. Also the man with the brown eyes was somehow familiar to him, but he didn't know why.  
Yugi tried to sit slowly up to avoid being in more pain. Before he could fully sit up, Jack grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the bed.  
"Took you long enough, shrimp. And you kid there can come with me too." Jack said harshly while looking at Tom before he dragged Yugi behind him. Yugi struggled with his arching head and his dizziness to keep up with Jack. Reaching an elevator, Jack threw Yugi roughly in. Yugi had already been unsteady on his own feet and that treatment caused him to lose the little balance he had hardly regained due to feeling light-headed. Tom was in an instant beside him and tried his best to help Yugi up again; fully aware to what would happen if he stayed down. Jack snarled at the two boys, before using a key card with the control panel of the elevator, pushing a button and stepping out again, leaving the two boys alone. The doors closed and the elevator moved down.  
"Hey, you ok, shorty?" Yugi frowned at the nickname Tom gave him, but didn't really mind Tom calling him like that. At least he didn't do with spite like Jack had called him shrimp.  
"Not really." Both remained silent for a second, Yugi thinking about his situation and Tom watching him in concern.  
"Why did he leave us alone like this? I mean; we could just push another button and get away."  
"Nope, the elevator just works with the key card he had. And besides, the punishment for trying something like that would be very hard." Yugi didn't get any opportunity to reply when the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Tom walked into dimly lit tunnel that was outside the elevator, while Yugi looked around. He couldn't see anything in the deep shadows of the tunnel. Before he had a chance to take his surroundings in any further, a hand coming out of the shadows grabbed him by the front of his shirt pulling him into the semi-darkness. He again found himself struggling to keep up with whoever was dragging him behind. They walked through the tunnel until they stopped in a cave. Looking down into the mine, Yugi could see many children digging through rough stones or carrying stones, nearly collapsing under the weight. The man pushed him hard in the back to get him to go on. That shove sent Yugi again to his knees.  
"Again such a weakling. Get up, now!" A sharp kick in his stomach forced Yugi's breath out of his lungs. He was gasping on his knees, desperately trying to somehow get up. Before he could push himself up, he felt the man grasping his hair and violently pulling him to his feet. He was again shoved to go on, but before he could fall down again Tom was at his side, helping him staying on his feet.  
"Hey, take it easy, will ya? He is still hurt because of your colleague."  
"I'll show him real pain, if he doesn't move." Yugi lifted his head to see the man raising his fist to punch. Something distracted his attention off of Yugi and before he went to punish two kids who let something fall down, he hit Yugi in his face.  
//Aibou!//  
/Yami?!/  
//….// Yugi let his shoulders drop down. He found it terribly unfair that his connection with Yami was still cut like this and that only some words were exchanged faintly as if to mock him. Looking at the scene in front of him and the silence from the mind link made Yugi want to hide and cry.  
"Welcome to hell Yugi." Was all Tom said and led him to a place where they could work together.  
  
  
Grandfather went into the shared bedroom to check on Yami again. When Yami had been in delirium, he only left his side if he couldn't help it. He had always looked that the cloth had been cold enough to cool Yami down. He had given Yami something to drink which was even drunk while sleeping. Yami was now soundly asleep. Reaching out and touching Yami's forehead, he was content to find that the teen's temperature was not rising again. After that he took one of Yami's hands in his own and gently squeezing it, as if to reassure himself that Yami was still there and didn't suddenly vanish. He also made sure to press not too hard so that Yami wouldn't wake up. Grandpa had been worried about Yami's sudden illness, but whatever it had been; it had vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. That incident had left him terrified. Since Yami had been able to live outside the puzzle, grandpa had considered him as his second grandson. Now after Yugi was gone, Yami was the only one left and the thought of losing Yami as well left him frightened.   
'No, Yugi isn't gone. He was kidnapped and we will find him.' He was shocked to find out that he already lost hope for his grandson. But after reading all the newspaper articles with children vanishing and only turning up when they were dead had decreased his faith. He just wanted to get up and go to bed when a twitch in Yami's hand held him still. He watched as Yami's face contorted in a grimace, due to some nightmare he had. He cursed under his breath, waiting a few moments, hoping that the nightmare would stop on his own.   
"//Aibou!//" Yami moaned loudly with tears starting to run down his cheeks, while he tossed around in bed. Grandpa started to shake Yami awake.  
"Yami, it's just a dream. Wake up! Come on Yami, wake up!"  
  
  
Yami had had difficulty to fall asleep. The mark on his neck gave him enough to think about and he got several times out of bed to look at it and to make sure that it was really there and he wasn't imagining it.   
  
~~~Dream~~~  
  
After falling asleep, he found himself in some sort of cave. He could see many children and it reminded him of the stories he was told in Ancient Egypt when he had been younger. These stories always contained how poorly some pharaohs before his father had treated slaves and how they had used small children for difficult tasks they never could do. Since he had been at the same age like these slaves in Egypt he had promised himself to never let small kids do the work only grown men could do once he was pharaoh. First he thought he dreamt about Ancient Egypt, but looking at the children's clothes - which were all dirty and torn - he could see that they were from this time. He looked down at himself to see that he was semi-transparent in his dream and a child who went right through him in a hurry, told him that he could only watch and not interact in this dream.  
Suddenly a small boy was tossed to the ground beside him. He turned and saw a man standing behind the boy, looking down disgusted.  
"Again such a weakling. Get up, now!" Yami watched as the man kicked the boy and pulling the breathless boy up by his hair. It was too dark to see the boy's features, but Yami could clearly imagine how the boy's face contorted in pain and he winced in sympathy for the poor child. Yami saw how the man pushed the boy again and was relieved to see another boy catching him and holding him up.   
"Hey, take it easy, will ya? He is still hurt because of your colleague." Yami went nearer to the boys to look if the smaller one was seriously injured.  
"I'll show him real pain, if he doesn't move." As the boy lifted his head Yami could see his face and his breath caught in his throat. Before Yami could do anything, Yugi was hit again.  
"//Aibou!//"  
/…./ Yami saw the sadness and the unshed tears in Yugi's eyes as his shoulders slumped down. The sheer sight of his Aibou in this condition, made his heart break and he didn't notice the tears running down his cheeks. He reached out to touch him, but his fingers went right through him.  
"Welcome to hell Yugi."   
"Yami, it's just a dream. Wake up! Come on Yami, wake up!"   
  
  
Yami felt someone shaking him and jerked awake. He sat up abruptly taking deep breathes to calm himself. 'Was it a dream? Or maybe a vision? Please someone tell me that it had just been a dream.' Rubbing his eyes, he felt tears on his cheeks. He wanted to wipe them away, but was stopped when he found himself in a hug while grandpa said over and over again that it had just been a dream. Before he could prevent it he whispered:  
"It had felt so real. Yugi he was…he…" He swallowed. He just couldn't tell grandpa what he had seen in his dream. Grandpa repeated that it had just been a dream and gently rocked Yami in his embrace until the spirit fell asleep again.  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued……  
  
Waah, that took way to long to update for my own liking. *sniff* I want to have holidays again so that I have more time to write ^__^  
Until the next chapter (I hope that will be soon -_-°).  
Merce. 


	6. 09 days prior

Another chapter done. I hope that it isn't as bad as I think it is, but somehow my muse left me after the first half of the chapter. But it came back somewhere at the end, but refused to help me to edit the other half XD. Anyway - I hope you enjoy it.  
  
  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: Thanks, I'm flattered ^__^ I don't rush it, but I can't wait to know how it's going to continue. I have some points I want to have in the story, but half of the things I already wrote, came into my mind while writing, so I'm surprising myself with each chapter (sounds silly, doesn't it?)  
  
  
  
@ Ryasha: Thanks, I try my best *smile* I'm trying to write one day - one chapter, but it depends on the things I put into one chapter. If I continue like this, the story will have at least 15 chapters. And I already know that there will be a sequel ;)  
  
  
  
@ Karalen the Wood Elf: I'm just glad you like (in some way) evil and I hope that you don't kill me for the things I do to Yugi. Jonathan being Jounouchi's father? Interesting idea, but the answer is no. I'm trying to stick to the anime/manga as closely as possible and in the manga Jounouchi's father doesn't really care about his son, let alone foreign children.  
  
  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: Thanks for the translation ;) I'll hope that you get enough reviews so (want to see a happy ending too ^__^)  
  
  
  
@ Mikomi: I definitely agree with you about poor Yami and poor Yugi. And what is "it"?   
  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
  
  
"..…"direct speech  
  
  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~9 days prior~~~  
  
  
  
Yugi was struggling with getting stones off of the wall. The children didn't get any tools to do this, since they may use them as weapons. Tom had told him that they were supposed to dug for diamonds in the caves and it had been a miracle to him how they could possibly work on almost solid walls without tools. After watching some kids he saw that they would use rocks to get other stones loose and he had tried it too. He missed to see that the kids didn't use them when guards were around and he was hit hard when he was caught using one.   
  
His hands, which were not being used to do this kind of work, had soon started to bleed which made his grip on the rocks slip. Yugi picked up as many stones as he could carry and headed to the hole were they were supposed to put them in. Half on his way to that hole he couldn't hold them anymore and they dropped to the floor. Sighing, he started to pick them up, only to get struck again in his back, making him fall on the floor face first, pain searing through his head. His vision swam as he looked up at the man who shoved him down. He couldn't make out what he was yelling about but he winced at the loud noise. He felt more the slap in his face than he seeing it. It cleared his fuzzy mind a bit and he heard the guard ranting about him being a shrimp and showing weakness. He tried to get up, but a kick to his legs sent him down again.  
  
"I wasn't finished with you kid." Yugi bit on his lower-lip, fighting the tears that threatened to fall back. 'I mustn't cry. Not in front of them. It'll only make it worse.' He nearly choked as a sob tried to escape his mouth.  
  
"Pathetic, little-"  
  
"Leave him alone, ok?" Yugi was grateful when Tom stepped in front of him, blocking the guard and preventing him to hit him again.   
  
"You said that he shouldn't be weak and he followed your order and tried to stand up, only to be pushed down by you again. I-" Tom didn't get to complete his sentence when a punch in his face sent him down beside Yugi. Yugi saw how the guard grabbed a large stick from his belt and advanced on Tom. Before Yugi knew what he was doing, he was in front of Tom taking the blow, which caused him to nearly collapse on top of Tom. Tom stared at him in disbelief. No one but he himself protected other children. The other children had either lost their faith or were too afraid to do something. There was something about Yugi that amazed him. Being so small, Tom had considered him of one of the kids who feared everything. But there he was taking Tom's as well as his own beatings without thinking about the consequences.  
  
"Get back to work, brats." Tom helped Yugi getting up and together they brought the stones to the hole. Once Tom was sure that no guard could hear them, he turned to Yugi and whispered.  
  
"Why did you do that? I was trying to protect you." Tom saw how Yugi's slightly unfocused eyes shifted to him.  
  
"Because, I don't watch while my friends get beaten." A movement behind Tom caught Yugi's attention and he grabbed the other boy's wrist, pulling him to their previous shared working spot. Tom looked behind and saw another man walking around. He nodded his thanks to Yugi and continued his task, until the man was out of earshot again.  
  
"Who says that we are friends, shorty?" Yugi shortly glimpsed at Tom.  
  
"No one said that. I don't know if you think that I am your friend, but I consider you as mine. Why else-" He stopped as he heard footsteps approaching and continued as soon as they vanished.  
  
"Why else would you help me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Joey, please stay here. It could be dangerous."   
  
"That's the point, Yami. I won't leave you alone." Yami sighed. Since the van with the kidnapped children had always vanished in Tokyo he had decided to search right there. He had already told grandpa about this. Grandfather wasn't really content with Yami's decision, but Yami had said that he needed to do something, or he would most likely go insane. He gave in, since he knew that Yami would go to Tokyo with or without his permission and he knew that the boy wouldn't be able to concentrate on his self-given task, if he felt guilty for going without his okay. Yami knew that grandpa had his doubts about letting him do it, because of his recently passed illness, but Yami refused to wait. He was growing restless and with his dream still in his mind, he didn't want to lose more time.   
  
A few minutes after his discussion with grandpa, Joey had come around to see how Yami felt. He was surprised when he saw Yami packing some things he might need. First he had asked Yami if he had seriously lost it. Yami had just given him a sad smile while replying that he was probably right. Joey seeing his expression had told him to wait until he was back and had rushed home. Half an hour later, Joey was back with some of his own things and said that if Yami was going he wouldn't go alone. Now Yami was trying to convince him to stay, but Joey refused.  
  
"Joey, you are my friend. I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt."  
  
"You can't talk me out of this. If you go, I'll tag along. I couldn't forgive myself either if something happened to you too while I'm sitting at home doing nothing."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No, buts. I'm going with you, if you like it or not." Yami sighed again, finally giving in.  
  
"There's no way that you stay home?"  
  
"None."  
  
"Fine, then. We're going to take the bus." They walked down into the shop where grandpa was to tell him that they were leaving. After they got downstairs, both with their backpacks in hands, grandpa hugged Yami.  
  
"You know that I would prefer you to stay."  
  
"I know grandfather, I know. But I can't help Yugi when I wait for the police to find something."  
  
"I'm just glad you're not going alone." Grandpa said, looking at Joey. He pulled Joey to him and whispered in his ear, so that Yami couldn't hear.  
  
"Please, look after Yami. I don't think he should already be walking around, but there is no way I can stop him."  
  
"Don't worry; I'll take care of him." Joey whispered back, before joining Yami at the door. Yami frowned at him, but didn't say anything and they went to the bus stop.  
  
The bus was almost 10 minutes late and after picking the two up, the driver was driving at snail's pace. Yami was fidgeting impatiently and if he knew how to drive, he would have mind crushed the damn bus driver. He was sitting in his seat arms crossed, quietly growling until he felt an elbow in his ribs. He glanced at Joey, who was looking down on the slightly shorter boy.  
  
"Stop that; the driver won't go any faster if you growl like this. And besides, you're scaring other passengers." Yami sighed, let his hands fall in his lap and his shoulders drop, while leaning his head back and closing his eyes. He had gotten plenty of sleep when he had been ill, but with the nightmares that haunted him at night he was exhausted. He undid his neck buckle, since it disturbed him in his current position and tried to rest a bit. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel how Joey looked at him.  
  
"Which vampire did bite you like this?" Yami opened his eyes and looked in confusion at Joey until Joey pointed at his neck. Yami quickly redid his buckle.  
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"You won't know if you don't try." Yami just shrugged and told Joey about his dream he had about Yugi and him being in the room with rain and fire. He left a few details out, but he told Joey enough to know how he thought he got that mark.  
  
"You were partly right. I wouldn't believe you. But with all the weird things that happened to Yugi since he got his puzzle I'm open to everything unusual."  
  
"Actually, I don't really believe it either. But I can't explain how else I could have gotten it." With that Yami closed his eyes again to doze a bit more.  
  
  
  
  
  
Yugi had reached a point where his sleepy body and mind didn't even recognize the pain of the punishments the guards gave him for almost everything anymore. He had only stopped working when he got punished. Even if he was hurt, he tried everything to protect others something that only made his condition worse. He just couldn't watch the kids who mostly were even smaller than him getting injured.   
  
Yugi could feel his mind reducing the body functions which weren't really necessary to survive due to his tiredness. An example for this was his eyesight. As time went on it got fuzzier and blurred while shadows crept at the edge of his field of vision. He was carrying another pile of rocks to the hole when suddenly his legs refused to support his weight anymore and gave in under him. He collapsed on the uneven floor adding more cuts to the many others he got in the few hours since he had been in the mines.   
  
Only seconds later he heard more than felt one man beating him mercilessly with his stick. He was sure that it would later hurt like hell, once his mind would acknowledge pain again, but in this moment he was almost glad that he didn't feel it. He didn't even feel how the hits draw blood, which trickled over his back. The man seemed to get frustrated with his lack of responding to his beatings. Before the man could think of another way to punish Yugi, Tom was at his side, pulling him to his feet while half dragging, half carrying him to another part of the cave he didn't recognize. The man followed them and after hitting Tom once he left again, telling them that they could have a short rest.  
  
"Where are we?" Yugi asked while trying to take his surrounding in. The floor was covered with thin dirty mats which consists more of holes than of the material they were originally made of. Tom laid Yugi gently and slowly on one of the mats which wasn't already taken. He paid attention that Yugi wasn't laying on his back, since it was injured worst.  
  
"We are supposed to sleep here and that's exactly what you're going to do." Yugi tried to sit up again, but Tom's firm hands stopped him.  
  
"You should sleep too Tom." Yugi realized how hard it got to speak properly and to stay awake. He also saw that this cave was the only way to speak more freely and he was definitely going to use this opportunity.  
  
"Nah, I'm already used to this treatment. It is harder for someone like you, who has still faith and who misses those he left behind."  
  
"Ya can't imagine it. I'm wondering what they're doing. They're most likely worried sick over me." Yugi was freezing. The mats didn't stop the cold and wetness that clung to almost every stone in the cave. He pulled his knees to his chest in order to get somehow warm, but it didn't help. Tom watched him how he was shaking there on the floor and felt sad for him. None of these kids deserved this kind of treatment and yet he couldn't do anything to stop it.  
  
"You are in some way incredible. You put the well being of other people around you first before you think of yourself. Your parents must be proud."  
  
"Don't have...live with grandpa."  
  
"Sleep, shorty. You need a break." Yugi could barely make out Tom's dirty face above him.   
  
"'anks f'r ya help." He muttered somehow slurred, before darkness claimed his hold on him allowing him to forget for some time.  
  
  
  
  
  
The bus drive had taken longer than Joey and Yami had expected. As soon as they stepped out of the bus Yami got the urge to get back inside and drive home. He had nodded off during the drive and hadn't seen anything of Tokyo yet. He had barely been outside of Domino City before. Now that he was standing at the bus stop he couldn't help but stare. Everywhere he looked were skyscrapers and he started to panic.   
  
'How am I supposed to find anything here? I didn't know that this city is that huge. I don't even know where I should start. I can't do anything. I won't find anything.' He felt how his chest tightened and how his breathing got faster. Without wanting to he took a shaky step backwards, bumping into Joey. Joey held Yami by his shoulders. Yami was grateful for this silent comfort and forced his breath to slow down to a normal speed.   
  
"Before we start with our search, we should find a place where we can spend the night." Yami frowned at this suggestion. He had regained his self-control and he forced himself to not to think about the size of Tokyo.   
  
'Does he think I can't handle this?'   
  
Joey seemed to have heard his thoughts.   
  
"We should first find a place for the night, before we start. As soon as we found someplace we don't need to think about that anymore and can concentrate on more important things." Yami blinked and nodded to acknowledge Joey's logic. They soon found a hotel where they could stay with their rather small budget. After that Joey dragged Yami to a dinner stating that he was starving. While Joey was eating, Yami thought about where they should start. Without meaning to he caught on a conversation between two women who sat behind him.   
  
"Did you hear about Tara?"   
  
"No, what happened?"   
  
"Someone kidnapped her son, yesterday." Yami hadn't really been paying attention to them, but that changed after he heard the last part.   
  
"Do they know who did it?"   
  
"No, there were some people who saw how he was hauled into a black van." Yami's blood turned to ice as he leant slightly back to not miss a thing. Joey saw that and listened too.   
  
"Where did it happen?"   
  
"At the park which is just a few minutes from here." There was a short silence before the other woman said.   
  
"Sorry, but I better get going. My daughter is at a friend's not far from here and I don't want her to walk home alone."   
  
"Understandable." Yami watched as both women walked past his table.   
  
"I think we just found our first lead." Yami nodded at Joey and saw how he already had finished and was getting up. He followed him outside and after asking a passerby where there was a park nearby they took off.   
  
The night was already falling, casting darker shadows in the park. They had seen several policemen doing some research on their own and had decided to ask one, only to be chased away. They had asked some other only to get the same result. They soon concluded that they weren't going to get any information from the officers and tried to search through the park on their own. Since it was hard to see anything in the semi lit park they soon gave up on that option. So they started to question some persons walking by if they had been in the park yesterday and if this was the case had they seen anything. This time they made sure that no officer was near since they didn't want to get chased away again.   
  
This part of their search didn't get any results either. No one had seen anything. One passerby who wanted to help them pointed out that maybe one of the shop owners of the shops near the park had seen something.   
  
They checked the few shops that weren't already closed but only got the information that there had been a boy who was pulled into a black van. Yami sighed.   
  
"Let's go back to the hotel. We won't reach anything tonight." Joey nodded while trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.  
  
  
  
To be continued.....  
  
  
  
Please comment and arigatou ^__^  
  
Merce 


	7. 08 days prior

Hey I'm back again.   
  
Actually I wanted to finish the story before I go on my trip with my class on Sunday next week, but my muses rather concentrated on my drama class and with that on the performance we have on Wednesday. So wish me luck - I'm going to act as a slightly different Romeo (a Romeo who doesn't want to give up his family and with that his heritage and gets in a fight with Juliet because of that) I have to act as a boy since we are only girls in our school XD  
  
Anyway I try to get the other chapter (which is halfway finished) done before I go on the class trip.  
  
  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: No need to bow and to thank me for my story ;) I just love to write my story and I am glad that you enjoy reading it ^__^  
  
  
  
@ Mikomi: I would love to read it some time ^___^ We'll see what happens with Yugi, but that will take some time (especially with that nasty writers block I currently have in the next chapter which is halfway finished)  
  
  
  
@ Scarabsi: I'm hurrying; I'm hurrying, but please stand up ;)  
  
  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: I've read that from AmunRa too and I had to grin since that sentence is so true *g* Sorry for the cliffy but it's not like I can write the story in one chapter ;)  
  
  
  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
  
  
"..…"direct speech  
  
  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~8 days prior~~~  
  
  
  
Joey was still rather sleepy when Yami dragged him along. They were already heading back to the shops near the park.  
  
"Yami, no shop will be open that early in the morning." Yami ignored Joey's complaining when he dragged him into the only shop that was open - a small café. They just found another dead end which made Yami even more frustrated. Remembering that Joey needed to eat (and that the teen was always hungry) Yami decided to stay there until the other shops opened. While Joey ate breakfast, Yami was drumming his fingers on the top of the table, willing the time to go faster.   
  
He thought about contacting Yugi again. He didn't dare to try it yesterday, fearing that he would break down again. He mentally sighed before preparing himself to reach out to Yugi when another thought struck him. What if Yugi had been out of reach because he was too far away? What if he could have called him yesterday, but didn't because he had been afraid. That thought slightly raised his hopes and he reached out.  
  
//Aibou?// Nothing. 'I should have known this.' His face must have shown his emotions as waving hand in front of his eyes tried to get him back into reality.  
  
"Hey Yami... you're there mate?" Yami concentrated on Joey and forced himself not to dwell on his emotions.  
  
"We should go now. They'll open in a few minutes." Yami nodded and got up ignoring the worried look he received from Joey.   
  
They walked along the pavement and turned around the next corner. Suddenly Yami stopped dead in his tracks. There at the other end of the street stood a black van. He glanced shortly at Joey before both started to run. Before they could reach the van a man came out of the alley where the van was parked in front of, opened the door and jumped in. The van accelerated even before the door was slammed shut. Both boys ran after the van which was too fast and soon drove out of sight. Joey stopped gasping for breath next to a swearing Yami while Yami wasn't even breathing faster.   
  
"At least they didn't kidnap anyone." Joey said after regaining his breath.  
  
"We don't know if it was the right van." Yami said dully.  
  
"What? We ran like the devil himself was behind us and it wasn't even the right one." Yami just shrugged.  
  
"It could have been, we don't know." 'But if it had been the right one - what were they doing. Wait, what if they had been after someone and this someone was able to hide?'  
  
"Joey, come on. Let's go and check that alley." Yami said turning around to run back.  
  
The alley wasn't very large, but dark. Stepping in it Yami waited for his eyes to adjust from the bright daylight to the semi darkness. Looking around he mostly saw trash and garbage cans. He shot a glance over his shoulder when Joey arrived before he started to look between the cans. Joey followed his example and started to search too. Not finding anything there Yami looked into one of the larger trash cans. Following his instincts he opened the bundle covered in a large white blanket. He closed his eyes at the sight before him.  
  
"Joey, go and call the police." Joey looked up from his searching. After stepping behind Yami he gasped and stumbled back until he stood against the wall. There laying in the trash was the corpse of a small boy. Noticing that Joey didn't do what he asked for, Yami turned to him.   
  
"Joey." Joey nodded and dashed out of the alley.   
  
Yami turned back to the corpse and lifted it carefully out of the trash can. Examining the body he saw that almost every inch of the skin was covered with bruises and cuts. Looking at the dirty and cut hands he guessed that they had been used for work which wasn't appropriated for a boy at this age. Looking at the boy's face Yami thought that he had seen this boy before. Busy with his inspection Yami didn't notice that Joey returned. He only noticed him as Joey squatted down beside him being very pale.  
  
"You must be asking yourself what I am looking for." Joey shook his head.  
  
"Actually, I'm more wondering how you can bear that smell. But your question is also very interesting." Yami was just about to answer, but sirens coming from the street stopped him. A second later they saw a police car stop in front of the alley. Two police officers walked up to them while both boys stood up from their crouching position. While one of the policemen examined the corpse the other one started to ask questions. Soon he was telling Yami off for moving the body. Yami waited without showing any emotion until the officer finished scolding him. More officers arrived and took care of the corpse while the two who were there first lead Yami and Joey into their car, taking them to the station to ask more questions.  
  
  
  
  
  
Yugi woke up when he felt a sudden pain in his stomach. He curled himself into a foetal position only to receive a kick in his back.  
  
"Up you lazy brat. Get up now!" He suppressed a groan of pain as he slowly pushed himself up. Another kick nearly sent him back to the ground.  
  
"Move faster!" He was limping stiffly up to Tom who was walking slowly so he could catch up. He had expected to return to work immediately but Tom led him to another part of the mine. In that cave sat children on the floor eating some food. Upon a closer look Yugi saw that the food the kids received wasn't very much. He followed Tom to a guard who gave every kid a small bowl with food. Yugi's feelings about getting food were mixed. He felt pity for the kids that they didn't get more. On the other side, he didn't think that he could even eat the bit he was given. His stomach revolted at the sheer sight of it, partly because of how the food looked, partly because of already feeling sick. He didn't think that it would stay down once he ate it. Together he and Tom went to sit on a small place on the floor which wasn't already occupied. Tom began at once to wolf the food down while Yugi just stared at his own bowl. He suddenly had to grip on Tom when a dizzy spell washed over him. Tom held Yugi up until Yugi was able to sit up on his own again.  
  
"You should eat it shorty." Yugi just closed his eyes and whispered back.  
  
"Can't. I'm sick." Looking around Tom saw that the guard was occupied with another girl who didn't eat either and he switched his empty bowl with Yugi's full one.  
  
"I think you realized that they use ever excuse to hit us and not eating belongs to their favorites." Yugi nodded his thanks opening his eyes again.  
  
"Last chance. You don't want to eat?" Yugi shook his head causing to get dizzy again. Moving his hand to his head he noticed cold sweat on his forehead, while at the same time he felt heat radiating from it.   
  
'No, not again, please.' He barely noticed how Tom took his bowl to put it away. He waited for Tom to return not trusting his feet to stand on his own. A punch in his face sent him on his back. He bit his lip hard to prevent himself to cry out in pain. He felt several kicks in his stomach causing him to fight against the urge to throw up. He already had an acidic taste in his mouth. He suddenly started to cough and with the vomit also came something red up.  
  
'Blood. Please no.' He barely felt how his arm was put around someone else's shoulder nor did he really feel how he was dragged from the cave. His eyes rolled in his head letting unconsciousness getting him back.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tom came back from the place where the bowls were put when he saw a guard kicking Yugi who laid on the ground, repeatedly in his stomach. He had already been worried about Yugi and he didn't think that blows to his abdomen would help the sick teen.  
  
"Hey, stop it!" He stepped between the man and Yugi receiving some blows on his own, but stopping Yugi to get hurt further. After hearing a coughing sound he turned around to see Yugi throwing up vomit mixed with blood.  
  
"Yugi!" In an instant he was beside Yugi helping him up. He placed Yugi's arm around his shoulder and half dragged, half carried him to the entrance of the mines. He knew that the guards would wait for the doctor to arrive, but Tom had a feeling that Yugi wouldn't live long enough to see John again if he waited for him to arrive. The guard at the elevator let him through and told Tom to be back as soon as possible if he didn't want to end in the hospital too. Stepping out of the elevator Tom saw Jonathan already waiting for him. John scooped Yugi's limp form up in his arms while Tom followed him.   
  
They hurried into the hospital wing, John paying attention to not move Yugi too much. He immediately started to examine him once he placed him onto a hospital bed. Yugi was still unconscious when he started to cough up more blood. John turned Yugi on his side to that he didn't choke on his own blood. Tom had been silently watching the whole scene, willing Yugi to survive while another part of his mind hoped for Yugi to die in his sleep, releasing him from the living hell.   
  
After Yugi stopped coughing up blood Jonathan treated the boy's wounds. He stabilized Yugi and then looked at the boy and noticed that his clothes were soaked with his own blood. He sighed knowing that it couldn't be helped. The only ones who got rarely clean clothes were those who died and these children were the ones who were placed somewhere near the relatives' house. Glancing back at Tom he saw that he was also tainted with Yugi's blood. He mentioned Tom to sit down and treated the cuts and bruises Tom had gotten in the short time. Against his own will he sent Tom back to the mines. With a last glance at the still out Yugi Tom returned back to the elevator and with that back to hell.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hours later Yami and Joey were allowed to leave the police station. The policemen had asked them the same questions again and again hoping that one of them gave themselves away. But since both were telling the truth they didn't fall for this trick. One of the officers had threatened them to imprison them for murder and it had taken Yami every will-power to not give the policemen a reason to imprison them by sending this man into the shadow realm. They had to tell them again and again that they were in Tokyo to search for a friend until they were finally allowed to leave. They didn't get far when they heard someone behind them.   
  
"Mr Mutou, Mr Wheeler. Please wait a moment." Yami and Joey glanced at each other before waiting for the police officer to catch up. They recognized him immediately since he was the one who had believed them from the beginning and had finally convinced his colleagues that they were innocent.  
  
"Officer Andrews. I thought we were finished." Yami said to the policeman.  
  
"You are, don't worry. I just wanted to give you my card in case you know something else." He gave Yami the card and went back into the station. Yami read the front of the card which declared the name of the officer (Randy Tomas Andrews) his address and the phone and mobile phone number. He flipped the card and saw that Officer Andrews had written something on the back. Turning the card so that the writing wasn't upside down he read aloud. "Meet me at the café on the main street near the place where you found the body tomorrow at 9 am"  
  
"I wonder what he wants. It's not like we had left anything out." Yami nodded.  
  
"Let's head back to the hotel, it's getting late." Yami headed into the direction but stopped before he got to go more than two steps. Something was wrong. Looking around he watched out for any danger but couldn't find anything.  
  
"Yami?" Yami didn't listen as he concentrated on his link. He was shocked when he found it fainter than before.   
  
//No Yugi! Hold on, don't give up!// He didn't get any response. Snapping back to reality he stated to Joey.  
  
"Time is running away."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued....  
  
  
  
  
  
Thanks for reading and please review ^___^  
  
  
  
I just noticed that the German Tea seems to have problems with directions (due to wrong synchronisation) At the beginning (when she draw that smiley on the right hands) she said that everyone has to put their left hand in the middle. At the duel between Pegasus and Kaiba she said that the duel arena came from below when everyone looked up to see it coming from above -_-° Honestly I don't want to see her when she tries to get her driver license ^__^ 


	8. 07 days prior & memories

Yeah I'm back from Spain and full of energy to continue with my story.  
I recently got to know that grandpa actually is called (in German) Salomon Mutou. ^__^ In the anime he had only been called grandpa until after the duel against Pegasus (at least in Germany)  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: I'm glad you like my story (still am unsure of my abilities to write -_-°) I really feel sorry for Yugi and everyone. You're right about the sooner we update the sooner Yugi gets found, but about the happy thing I won't tell *evilly smirks*  
  
@ Scarabsi: Why shouldn't I update? This one took longer since it is longer and I went on a class trip last week.  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: *searches for the pillow I gave you to lay it under the chair again* I won't tell if Yugi survives. You'll see at the end. You remember that I wanted to write a tear jerker and I'm trying my best. Btw threats won't help ;P *currently in an evil mood is*  
  
@ Mikomi: You'll see about the dieing thing. And it's taking awhile (still 7 days to go)  
  
@ Oni Neko Tsumes: I still have a year to go to school *sigh* And in the next weeks we're having our exams so I won't have time to write *almost cries* Anyway thanks for the review and there is no need to apologize for not reviewing (I know that you don't have time if you work on your own story -_-°)  
  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
  
  
~~~7 days prior~~~  
  
"Smith! Get that boy back down." Jonathan Smith just shook his head at the guard.  
"No. He needs rest or you can bring him back as a corpse tomorrow." The guard just glared at John, before storming out of the hospital. He sighed and returned to look after Yugi. He had injected Yugi some medicine that would keep him asleep for now. He knew that they would drag the injured boy back into the mines as soon as he woke up, so it was the best to make sure he didn't wake up soon. Looking at Yugi he remembered when he first met him.  
  
  
~~~Past/Memories~~~  
  
Yugi was just 4 years old when he got to his grandfather. Jonathan and Salomon Mutou were on a trip to Egypt together until Salomon got an emergency call, telling him to come back home as soon as possible. This message only said that it was something concerning his family and that he had to contact a woman called Mrs. Ury once he was home. John decided to go back as well to help Salomon if he needed him. Arriving at the game shop Salomon didn't waste any time to call that woman. He nearly dropped the phone when he heard a woman answering with  
"Local orphanage in Domino City. How may I help you?"  
John was at Salomon's side as he had promised to help him. After Salomon's son and his wife had died in a fire which had burned down the whole house, Yugi had been put into an orphanage. John was shocked when he saw the small child sitting lost on his bed while staring at the opposite wall. Yugi was unusual pal while his eyes looked into the distant. John saw that the events had left Yugi traumatized. Mrs. Ury told them that Yugi didn't talk to any other children nor did he response to the women who looked after the children. She also told them that Yugi didn't cry once and that they almost had to beg him to eat. These things only confirmed Jonathan's earlier conclusion about Yugi having a trauma.  
John waited at the entrance of the dorm where Yugi slept while Salomon walked up to him. Even after seeing his grandfather Yugi didn't come out of his shock. Salomon picked Yugi up since Yugi didn't react to his verbal suggestion to go home with him. That simple act finally caused Yugi to show any kind of reaction. John saw how the small boy went rigid in his grandpa's arm before he relaxed and clung to his only relative finally releasing his emotions crying like the child he was. John was sure that Yugi would start to behave like a normal kid again after living with his grandpa for a while.  
Due to an own family problem John wasn't able to visit once in three weeks. When he was able to go and see his friend and his small charge again he was content to see that Yugi wasn't sitting somewhere staring at a wall but silently playing behind the counter while Salomon worked in the game shop. John friendly greeted Yugi. Yugi looked up and after staring at him he rushed to his grandfather hiding behind the taller man's leg.  
It took another week for Yugi to overcome his shyness and when John came to see the two Yugi happily greeted him. He remembered one time when Yugi ran up to him and fell down, hurting his right arm. John picked the crying kid up and carried him (after reassuring grandpa that this wasn't something serious) upstairs. There he put a band aid on the small cut after carefully cleaning it.  
"There, all done."  
  
  
~~~end past/memories~~~  
  
Jonathan shook his head at the memories. Shortly after that he had started with his research in the drug he had been inventing. He had had less time to spend with the Mutous and his own family. And after getting reported to the police for doing illegal experiments with humans (who had agreed to this) the contact broke. He sighed. He wished that he could turn back the time and stop himself. Thompson had paid to get him out of jail and he had worked for this man since then.  
He shook his head again and checked Yugi once again. After that he returned to his research which he hadn't stopped trying to find the flaw which was still in the drug, even after everything that had happened.  
  
  
Yami had woken up due to a nightmare. It had been the same nightmare he already had once. Even after waking up, the images kept repeating themselves in his head. He closed his eyes trying to block them out. But it didn't help. He could still see how Yugi was beaten before another voice greeted him to hell. He sighed wishing the images to stop. Since it was still before dawn he got to bed again to catch some more hours of sleep. He had hoped that the dream would stay away for once. He sighed when he found himself back in the nightmare again. He saw the unfamiliar boy passing through him and turned to see when Yugi arrived. Then something was different than before. The same boy who had run through him ran again through him into the same direction. Frowning he turned and stepped aside seeing the boy again running in the same direction and vanishing in the shadows. He was confused by this change.  
'Why should I see the same boy again and again when I'm concerned about Yugi?' His thoughts were interrupted when the boy once again passed him. But this time Yami was able to see the boy's face. He was shocked and stumbled several steps back. The boy in these mines was the same as the one they found yesterday in the trash can. The images changed. The boy was still running, but every time he passed Yami he looked paler and more like the corpse he was now. Something else also changed. The mines vanished and the boy didn't run into the same direction. He ran up to Yami knocking him down to the ground. Yami felt the weight of the boy on his chest, smelled the same rotting stench as he smelt yesterday while cold hands clutched on his face. Yami closed his eyes and turned his head away. With his eyes closed he didn't see how the scene changed again. He felt how the cold hands forced his face to turn back to the boy on his chest.  
Against his will he opened his eyes expecting to see the dead cold face. His breath got caught in his throat when he saw that it wasn't the boy anymore but Yugi. Staring up he saw no life in his aibou's eyes before Yugi went limb on his chest. Yami set up cradling his hikari in his arms while only one thought kept repeating itself frantically in his head.  
'Please, be just a dream. Please, be just a dream. Please,-'   
He felt himself being shaken by his upper arms before he woke up staring right in Joey's face above his own.  
"You're ok?"  
"Yeah…. just a nightmare." He brought his hand to his forehead feeling cold sweat there.  
"Want to tell me?" Joey asked kindly, concern evident in his features.  
"Not really…."  
"I'll be there if you'll change your mind." Yami nodded gratefully and shot a short glance at the clock.  
"You should take a shower, Yami, before we meet Andrews." Yami nodded again heading to the bathroom while Joey went to get breakfast. Stepping into the shower he turned the water ice cold, trying to get once again rid of the images, but not really succeeding. Reaching out he found that the link was still silent and find like it had been yesterday. Hoping that Yugi wouldn't give up on life he finished his shower. After he dressed he sat on his bed waiting for Joey. Letting himself fall back he closed his eyes trying once again to talk to Yugi, but yet failing again. He sighed knowing that it would be easier to find Yugi if he would be able to talk to him. Yami looked up when Joey came back. He got up and followed Joey out of their room.  
They walked in silence to the café and Yami noticed how Joey watched him concerned. Yami suddenly stopped and looked at Joey.  
"Joey I'm-"  
"Don't tell me that you're fine. I can see that you're not." Yami broke their eye contact not being able to hold Joey's gaze.   
"Yami, I just want to help you."  
"I know."  
"Then why don't you let me?" Yami just shrugged and walked on. He was concerned about Yugi, his own wellbeing currently didn't matter to him. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.  
"Later, okay?" Joey sighed but nodded.  
Arriving at the café they saw that Officer Andrews was already there. They joined him at his table after greeting him.  
"Ok, here we are. What do you want to know?" Joey asked after sitting down.  
"I want to know why you are in Tokyo." Yami frowned in annoyance. He should be out there searching for Yugi and not answer some question he already had answered yesterday. He kept quiet while Joey replied to Andrews.  
"You already know that."  
"You don't seem to trust me or the police." At this Yami said something while surprising himself how cold his voice sounded.  
"It's not like the police did give us any reasons to do so." Andrews just smiled.  
"Good to know." Yami and Joey looked rather puzzled at this before Andrews continued.  
"Some of my colleagues aren't really trustworthy." Yami dropped his unfriendly behavior curious to know why.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I think that some people are paid to block anyone who searches in these kidnappings. People like you two are taken in custody to stop them and the only honest policemen are assigned to other tasks. It's not only here in Tokyo, but almost everywhere. In addition almost no evidences could be found at places where dead bodies appeared and if there was any it was destroyed."  
'So that's why the police couldn't find anything. They don't even try to do something.' Yami could feel how anger he never experienced that strong before boiled in his body. He knew that if he didn't get out he would do something that he would regret. Not looking at Joey or Andrews, he got up from the table and stormed out of the café, ignoring Joey's calls.  
He didn't pay attention to where he was running until he found himself in the park again. He spotted a small deserted playground and headed to the swings and sat down staring into nothing. He had been sitting there for a small while until he heard an unfamiliar voice behind him.  
"What are you doing here so all alone young man?" Yami didn't glance at the stranger and replied  
"None of you're business."  
"Yami watch out!" Yami looked at Joey who pointed at the man behind him. He turned around and saw a metal bar coming down at his head. He tried to dodge but the bar brushed nonetheless the side of his head and it hit his left shoulder hard. Crying out in pain he closed his eyes, slid from the swing and landed in the sand below. He could feel how the man tried to pick him up and started to struggle. He could hear Joey's calling this time nearer than before.  
"Jack?!" Opening his eyes again Yami saw Officer Andrews staring at the man from a distance. The man dropped him and he hit the ground a second time. He saw how Andrews followed the other man. A second later Joey was at his side and turned him gently around so he was lying on his back. He tried to sit up, but Joey restrained him saying that he shouldn't move around. Sighing he closed his eyes again and tried to ignore the major headache.  
He could hear Joey and Andrews talking in low voices. He opened his eyes again, but didn't recognize the place. 'Where am I?' Looking around he saw that he was alone in an unfamiliar bedroom. He carefully sat up and touched the spots where he had been hit. He felt bandages around his head and shoulder and his left arm was in a sling. 'What happened? How did I get here?' He got out of bed and noticed that he was only in his boxers. He spotted his clothes on a chair at the desk which was beside a sleeping sofa. He went to the desk and picked his shirt up. On a closer look he saw some blood on it. He shook his head before removing his arm from the sling to put it on. He finished dressing as a sudden pain in his shoulder told him to better use the sling again. He approached the slightly open door from where the voices came.   
"You said that there are some policemen who get paid. Then who can you report about your colleague?"  
"I don't know. I thought Jack was one of the trustworthy ones. I can only warn two or three who I know that they aren't in it."  
"And how do you know that? You were wrong with this Jack guy, how can you be sure that these ones aren't corrupt too?" Yami had to lean closer to the door to get the next more silent reply.  
"Because….their children were kidnapped too." That answer shut Joey up and both fell silent. 'Too? Does he talk about himself or does he talk about Yugi?' Yami decided that it was the best to let them know that he was awake since both didn't seem to want to talk again. He cleared his throat and stepped into the next room which was a living room. Joey immediately jumped up and let Yami to the armchair he had been sitting in.  
"Good to see you awake again. How do you feel?" Joey asked while Yami sat down restraining himself to not protest against the way Joey treated him.  
"Fine. How long have I been out?" Before Joey could reply, Officer Andrews spoke up.  
"About 2 hours. The doctor said that you had been lucky. If you hadn't had dodged the blow you would have gotten a broken skull. Instead of that you have just a scratch on your head and a dislocated shoulder which the doctor already has treated." Yami nodded and looked around once more.  
"Where are we?"  
"At my apartment. I thought it was best to bring you here since your hotel was farther away."  
"What exactly happened?"  
"Your friend here should tell you that while I go and make you something to eat."  
"Thank you Mr. Andrews." Joey said in Yami's place knowing that Yami would have said that he wasn't hungry which wouldn't have been normal. Yami only nodded as Andrews left the room.  
"So what happened?"  
"First of all, never take off like you did in the café. I was worried about you, you know."  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry."  
"Anyway, the café is a good point to start."  
  
  
~~~Flashback~~~  
  
Joey was shocked to hear that the police was involved in this whole business. But he was more shocked at Yami reaction as he jumped up and dashed out of the café.  
"Yami wait!" He ran after his friend, but soon lost him in the crowd of the early risers.   
"Where did your friend go?"  
"I don't know. He is foreign in Tokyo so he doesn't know many places."  
"Can you think- wait, there he is!" Officer Andrews said pointing to Yami's spiky head in the distance. They both ran to that direction.  
"He's heading to the park. How can he be this fast?" Joey didn't answer to that. He didn't know if Yami was just so angry that he ran so fast or if the puzzle was the reason for his speed.  
When they reached the park they slowed down to search for Yami. Joey soon spotted him at the small playground sitting on a swing. He also saw a stranger standing behind him.   
Joey didn't like the expression on the man's face. He walked faster but stopped in mid tracks as the man raised a metal bar above Yami's head.  
"Yami watch out!" He could only watch as the man brought the bar down to Yami who tried to avoid the attack.  
"No!" Joey stared in shock as Yami cried out in pain and fell from the swing onto the sandy ground. He started to move again when the man tried to pick Yami up. He was relieved to see how Yami struggled against the grip, but also scared at how weak these struggles were.  
"Let him go, bastard!" The man ignored Joey and continued to half carry half drag Yami away from the playground.  
"Jack?!" Joey looked back to Officer Andrews who stared at the other man. This man seemed to hesitate for a second before dropping Yami to the ground and taking off, Andrews at his heels. Joey ran to his fallen friend and turned him around. He gasped after seeing the blood-sand mix that ran over Yami's face. Yami tried to sit up, but Joey held him down.   
"No, don't move. You'll make it worse." He heard Yami sighing and saw how he closed his eyes.  
"Yami? Yami! No, you mustn't fall asleep. Come on, stay with me." He got no response from the unconscious boy. He didn't dare to shake him awake, fearing that the head injury would get worse. 'Damn! What should I do?'  
"Mr. Wheeler!" Joey looked up to see Andrews running to him and Yami.  
"Please you've got to help Yami!" Andrews shortly examined Yami's injuries.  
"I'm no doctor, but I know who can help us." He gently picked Yami up only to receive a pained moan from the boy.  
"Where do you two live?" Joey gave him the name of their hotel.  
"That's too far. Come on follow me." Andrews led Joey to his home which wasn't too far from the park. In the apartment he put Yami onto his bed before calling his friend who was a doctor. While Andrews talked on the phone Joey started to undress Yami so he would be more comfortable. Yami whimpered in pain when Joey carefully took his shirt off. Andrews came back into the room and observed how Joey undressing Yami (except for the boxers) with care before speaking up.  
"The doctor will be here in a few minutes."  
"Why don't we take Yami to hospital?"  
"That would slow your search down."   
"What do you mean by that?"  
"The police have information about you and so have the ones who are in the whole kidnapping-business. I'm sure that they informed each other about your ID and your aim to find your friend. If we would take Mr. Mutou to hospital they certainly would sedate him so you wouldn't be able to continue your search." Joey just stared at him.  
"So we really can't trust anyone."  
"It's possible that I am overreacting, but I think that it is better to be safe than sorry." Shortly after that the doctor arrived and took care of Yami. He soon left again after telling them that Yami shouldn't rush things and should rest for some time.   
  
  
~~~end flashback~~~  
  
"I heard you talking about that man called Jack. He is a colleague of Andrews?" Joey nodded.  
"Yeah they both tried to find out what happened to the kidnapped children. Andrews never noticed before that his partner was blocking their search."  
"I think I know what happened to the children…."   
"What? How? I mean….we didn't really find anything useful except for…well you know."  
"I had a dream…no it was more like a vision and I saw the boy in it." Yami talked in a low voice. He didn't want Officer Andrews to hear that since it certainly wasn't normal for a teenager to have visions.  
"Yami, it's normal to have nightmares after what we saw."  
"I know, but he was already in this dream before we found him." Joey just stared at him and Yami told him about the first time he had the dream in the mine and about the other time where the dream changed. He also told Joey about his fear that they will be too late to save Yugi.  
"No don't think like that. We will find him alive."  
"You didn't see it like I did Joey. You can't understand."  
"From what you told me so far I can imagine it…." Yami wanted to reply but stopped when Andrews came back with a tray with something to eat for him and Joey. Yami looked down onto the plate he was given '"Just because you don't need to, doesn't mean that you can't."' He sighed at the memory of grandpa's words and started to eat.  
"I heard you two talking about what you think that had happened to the children." Both boys glanced at each other before looking at Andrews. 'How much did he hear?'  
"Care to share your information?" Yami sighed. 'We could work better together if he knew more. But it's better to leave some things out.'  
"From what we saw on the corpse, we could tell that the kid had to work very hard. Since we saw the same black van in which our friend was pulled in front of that alley we figured that the boy belonged to the many missed children."  
"So far we have the same information. We - that means me and two other policemen whose children are missing - discovered that the van always drove north when they kidnapped someone."  
"Do you know more?"  
"Only that this kid - and every dead child we found - had to work with rocks. We found some remains under their fingernails."  
"Our theory is that these children have to work in diamond mines until they die, but we don't have any real prove for that."  
"Why do you think that if you don't have any clear evidence for that?" Yami thought for a second about that. 'How much can I tell him?'  
"Do you believe that…twins have some kind of connection?"  
"In my opinion it's possible. Why?"  
"What if I tell you that Yugi and I have a connection like twins, only stronger?"  
"Then I would ask you why you don't use it to find it."  
"It's blocked." 'I Hope that wasn't too much. If I tell him that I'm a 5000 years old spirit he wouldn't believe us anything anymore.' Yami could tell that Andrews didn't believe him so he decided to go back to their main topic.  
"You said for yourself that the children had to work with rocks, so our theory wouldn't be impossible." Andrews nodded, got up and left the room.  
"Yami, don't tell too much. He'll call a psychiatrist if you continue like this."  
"Don't worry I won't." Andrews returned with an atlas and a folder. He opened a map of Japan and searched through the folder.   
"According to this information, there are some mines in the north. But there are too many to search through each of them."  
"Isn't there one or two most possible where we can start?"  
"First of all, there isn't any 'we' as long as you're hurt. And second no there isn't. I and my colleagues are going to search through them. You should go back to Domino tomorrow. There isn't anything you can do and if the other officers find you still searching here in Tokyo they'll definitely take you into custody." Andrews gathered the map and his folder and got up to leave the room.  
"You two should rest, it's late. You can stay here and since you're injured you can use my bed. Mr. Wheeler there is a sleeping sofa in the bedroom which you can use. Goodnight." Both got up and headed to the bedroom.  
"What are we going to do now?"  
"I guess we have no other choice than going home. We won't help my aibou by being in prison." Before they got to sleep Yami checked their bond again and found it stronger than before. He didn't know if that reassured him or if the pain killer the doctor had left for him calmed him down, but he slept for the first time since Yugi was kidnapped without being disturbed.  
  
  
The first thing Yugi noticed was the pain in his abdomen. He curled up in a weak attempt to ease the pain and groaned. He still felt sleepy and he couldn't remember why his stomach hurt like that. He noticed than a faint smell of alcohol before something cold was rubbed on his arm. He opened his eyes and saw the familiar man with the gentle brown eyes above him with an injection in his hand.   
"What…?"  
"Shush, it's ok Yugi. This is just something so that you sleep a bit more." This man was just about to inject the medicine but Yugi tensed up and started to move away from the needle. He sighed and put the injection onto the bedside table. Then he reached for a glass which stood on the table and went to fill it with water. He got back and gave Yugi the glass with water which he drank gratefully.   
"How are you feeling?"  
"Tired…hurt…" The man looked at the bandage he had put onto Yugi's right arm and saw that there were some blood stains on it. He decided to change these ones and went to get everything for this. Yugi sat up and felt how his brain seemed to work faster again. His thoughts weren't that incoherent like before as he watched the doctor working on his arm. He suddenly remembered being in the same position before. He had been only around 5 years old and had fallen down. Someone had put a band aid on the minor cut. He tried to remember who it had been as he looked into the brown eyes.  
'Wait…I know him. It had been him who had helped me…his name…how did I call him? J…J…How?'  
"There, all done."  
"Jo." Yugi could see the surprise in his eyes.  
"Long time no seen Jo."  
"So you remember me Yug'?"  
"Just barely. You had been there when my parents died." John nodded and Yugi saw him taking the syringe again and shied away. He didn't want to sleep right now.  
"Listen Yugi, I'm going to put you into a drugged sleep, ok? So just relax."  
"Why?"  
"Because you need to sleep to get better and if you don't sleep they're going to drag you back into the mines."  
"But what about Tom?"  
"He'll be fine, don't worry." Yugi didn't want to stay in the hospital while Tom was down there probably beaten. The thought of Tom distracted him enough so he only felt the injection in his arm as John pulled the needle out again. He stared at the small prick as he began to feel drowsy. He closed his eyes and started to fall back into the pillow but was caught by strong arms before he could hit it. He was asleep before John laid him gently down and his head could touch the pillow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued…..  
  
Yeah another one finished *jumps around* and the longest I ever wrote. It took me long enough so.  
Actually I don't know if there are any mines in Tokyo, but in my story there are some ^__^  
Btw; please comment ^__^  
Until the next time,  
Merce. 


	9. 06 days prior

I'm back (took me long enough)  
  
Sorry for the delay, but I just couldn't find time to write this and if I had it I couldn't write due to lack of inspiration (damn exams circling in my head) I also lost some of my confidence since I sucked in my English exam (at least in my opinion – I didn't get the results yet).   
I could have had more time (but I would have used it to study for the exams) if I hadn't read "Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix" (took me only one weekend though)   
  
  
@ Karalen the Wood Elf: Sorry that it took so long *sigh* but I'm really hurrying now since I want too know what will happen (my imagination surprises me every time when it decides to show up). Thanks for the compliment it gave me some of my confidence in my English back ^___^ John will play a bigger role in the later chapters so you need some patience ^___^  
  
@ Scarabsi: Sorry damn exams were keeping me busy, but here it goes.  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: I don't think that if these people are found it's going to be in Losing You but in the sequel which I am already planning ^___^ Again sorry for the delay -_-°  
Btw: Thanks for reviewing my other story on adultfanfiction.net and thanks for the compliment ;)  
  
@ Mikomi: *mops the tears behind you* Sorry for the delay and a happy b-day (even if it is REALLY late now ^__^°)  
  
@ Delka: Thanks for your 2 reviews. I did my best to make it long and interesting. Sorry that the update took way too long *sigh*.  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: I will tell you what happens...when it is finished (I'm mean I know ^___^) I can tell you that I already wrote the last chapter and had to restrain myself from crying but with all the turns and twists I'm still doing it need some editing when I come to it.  
Thanks for reviewing my lemon, I'm glad you liked it ^___^  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi.  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 9  
  
  
  
~~~6 days prior~~~  
  
He was wide awake on their journey back to Domino. Yami was sitting beside Joey (who was still eyeing him with concern) in a bus, his left arm still in a sling while he watched the scenery passing by but not actually seeing it. He knew that grandpa was going to be heartbroken that they hadn't found Yugi, but he also knew that he didn't really expect to find him since he already lost hope. He sighed and rested his bandaged head against the window.  
When he and Joey had woken up this morning they had found a note saying that they should tell the neighbour (who had a key to the flat) to please lock the door behind them and that he and his colleagues were already on their way.  
"What are you thinking?" Startled Yami turned to face Joey who looked at him with soft eyes.  
"Grandpa will be sad when we come home."  
"Yes but not immediately when we turn up." At Yami's frowning he continued.  
"First he'll be mad at me after seeing you. I promised to look after you, you know."  
"I can look after myself, thank you." Yami snapped. In response Joey just looked at the sling.  
"Do you think we should tell granddad?"  
"It will be hard not to notice you got hurt." Yami rolled his eyes.  
"Not that. I was talking about our theory."  
"I don't know. On the one hand I don't think we should keep him in the dark. But on the other hand I don't think that he should know it. It would only make him miserable to know Yugi is suffering."  
"I thought that too but if we don't tell him and it is true and Yugi is found he'll be even more crestfallen." Joey nodded.  
"We should wait a bit. He needs to digest first that you got hurt."  
"It's not that bad." They didn't talk for the rest of their journey which went over faster than their one to Tokyo. Getting off the bus Joey took Yami's backpack and put it over one shoulder where his own already was. At this Yami gave him an annoyed look. Joey had already insisted on carrying his bag in Tokyo. Before he could say anything Joey went on and said.  
"Gramps is already going to have my head with you injured. There's no need to infuriate him even more." Yami shook his head and followed him knowing that it was true. Yugi's grandfather was one of the gentlest men on earth, but when it came to something like that...well you wouldn't want to be the one on the receiving end. Soon they reached the game shop and Joey entered it Yami close at his heels. Since Joey was larger than him he couldn't see Salomon behind the counter.  
"Joey, you're back, but...where's Yami?" Sighing Yami stepped out from behind Joey. He heard grandpa gasp before he was at Yami's side, asking what happened while leading him upstairs. Joey closed the shop and followed them.  
"Come on, let's sit down."  
"Really grandpa. It looks worse than it is." Salomon led Yami into the living room and made him sit down.  
"No protesting...what happened?" Yami looked up and saw the determined look mixed with worry for his 'adopted' grandson.  
"Well, let's say it this way. We found this black van. And..." He stopped, unsure of what to say. He couldn't simply say [Hey grandpa, I nearly got kidnapped too, but don't worry they only knocked me out.] He glanced up in time to see how Salomon looked at Joey accusingly who looked guiltily down at his shoes. When Yami didn't continue on his own, Grandpa sat down beside him, took Yami's right hand into his own and asked.  
"What are those bandages for? What happened?"  
"Just some minor injuries."  
"What exactly are those minor injuries?"  
"A dislocated shoulder and a small cut."  
"How did this happen?" Yami suddenly felt like being interrogated like he had been at the police station. He squirmed under Salomon's gaze. That simple movement sent a jolt of pain through his still sore shoulder. He tried hard not to grimace but noticed that he failed miserably when he saw Joey move into his direction and felt Grandpa's hands tighten around his one. He relaxed and gave both a small smile which he hoped was reassuring. He looked pleadingly at Joey who sighed and explained what happened the day before. When he got to the part in the park Grandpa let go of Yami's hand and hugged him around the waist so he wouldn't hurt his shoulder further. Yami returned the hug with his good arm. When Joey finished they stayed silent for some minutes. He and Yami exchanged glances and there was a mutual agreement to not tell Salomon about their theory. He didn't think that Grandpa would be able to take that in.  
"The police are involved in it?" Grandpa asked in a shaky voice which displayed his disbelief and hurt. Both boys simply nodded.  
"There are only a few who really try to save the children." After a few more moments of silence Joey asked.  
"What are we going to do now? Are we going to search through the min-"  
"Joey!" Joey clapped a hand over his mouth and looked at Yami 'Damn it Joey!'  
"Going to search through what?" Joey just shook his head clearly not wanting to go on. Salomon looked from one teen to another before he growled.  
"Yami." Yami squirmed again under Grandpa's gaze. Noticing that he couldn't avoid an explanation now, he lowered his head and responded to his lap.  
"We had some kind of theory about what happened to Yugi, based on some fact and...visions I had."  
"And that theory would be?"  
"I think that Yugi may be...." he trailed off suddenly feeling very sick. His face must have shown his discomfort as he felt Salomon hugging him again. He swallowed and allowed himself to lean into the gentle touch. Salomon held him exactly like he normally held his aibou when he was upset. Grandpa's arms were wrapped firmly but gently around his form while his head was under Grandpa's jaw.  
"I...had a nightmare and in that...Yugi was in some mines with other children...I thought it was just a dream, but then...we found that boy and I realized that he had already been in my dream before we found him and...due to that we believe...we..." He broke off again, the full meaning of his theory suddenly crashed down on him. He had refused to think about the consequences of it so far, but couldn't avoid it anymore.   
Grandpa kept silent while Yami tried to go on. Yami knew that Grandpa wouldn't press on if he wasn't able to tell it directly, but he also knew that he wasn't going to get away without telling him his theory. He also felt that he needed to tell it to Grandpa. Yami glanced at Joey as far as his current position in Salomon's arms allowed it and found that Joey wasn't any help either as he kept staring at his shoes.  
"I think that he is forced to work in some mines until he dies." Yami said in an odd croaking voice that didn't seem to belong to him. He heard a sharp intake of breath coming from Grandpa and suddenly felt something wet on his right hand which had at some point grabbed Grandpa's shirt. He brought his fingers to his cheeks and realized that he was crying. He didn't know how much more he could take. He felt that Yugi was still alive but always close to dying if he should give up. His breath quickened at that thought. Briefly he wondered if Yugi could feel his emotions. He hoped not because it certainly would drive Yugi over the edge if he found out that he had given up on him. Because that was how it was; Yami had given up on finding his aibou alive and with that he realized his lost of his other half.   
He was so occupied with these thoughts that he didn't notice that he was crying freely, sobbing hard in Grandpa's chest until he ran short of oxygen which led him to hyperventilation. He could faintly hear Salomon begging him franticly to calm down. He was lowered into a lying position to ease his breath but it didn't help. He gasped for breath until he passed out due to lack of oxygen.  
  
  
"...all my fault...shouldn't...brought it up...."  
"...Ok....wouldn't....told me..."  
"...going...all right?"  
"...think..." Yami didn't understand about what the voices were talking about. He also couldn't understand why everything felt so heavy and why his shoulder and temple were throbbing. He tried to open his eyes, but didn't manage it.  
"...fluttering...mate?"  
"...my son...on...wake...Yami..." The voices were distant and he didn't know who was talking. He wanted to stop this feeling that everything was out of his control. He also didn't like the feeling of failure which he couldn't explain in his messed mind. He stopped trying to wake up and slipped once more in a deeper sleep.  
  
  
He woke up in their shared bedroom in the middle of the night. Every muscle Yami had was aching but he got up nevertheless, stepping around Joey who was lying on the floor in a sleeping bag and got dressed. He shortly wondered how he had gotten into the bedroom until he recalled what had happened earlier. He walked silently out of the room not bearing to spend more time in it. He crept up to Grandpa's bedroom and saw into it. Grandpa was asleep, exhaustion clearly written on his face.   
Yami tiptoed to the living room and sat down onto the sofa. He pulled his arm out of the sling and moved his shoulder around. He winced at the minor pain this moving caused but decided that it was bearable so he removed it. The bandages around his shoulder were restraining but he didn't dare to remove them already. He got up and went into the bathroom. There he removed the bandages around his head. He saw the small cut and the slightly larger bruise which had formed on his temple. Heading back to the sofa he passed the door which led downstairs to the shop. He stopped and looked at it. While he stared at it he came to a decision. He would definitely find Yugi. All he had to do was to head north until he could feel him. It was so simple that he couldn't believe that he hadn't thought about it sooner. He reached for the door handle and tried to open the door only to discover it being locked. He felt for the key that normally was in the keyhole at night only to find it gone. Frowning he looked down to see if it had fallen down, but it was no where in sight. 'What the hell?'  
"Sorry Yami, but I can't let you go on you own." Yami whirled around and faced Grandpa and Joey who were standing in the doorway. He ignored the pain that shot through his shoulder due to the abrupt movement.  
"...what?"  
"I thought that you would try to sneak away."  
"I have to find Yugi!"  
"You're hurt." While Yami and Grandpa were talking Joey went over to Yami.  
"It's nothing." At this Joey gently poked Yami's shoulder, who winced slightly in return. Yami then looked pleadingly at Joey since he couldn't persuade Grandpa that he had to go.  
"I have to find Yugi."   
"I know, but not before you've healed." Silent tears were now running down Yami's cheeks.  
"But..."  
"No but, Yami." Grandpa said stepping on Yami's other side and took Yami's arm. Together he and Joey led Yami back to the bedroom. Yami didn't protest while Joey helped him back into his pyjama. Yami was sat down on the bed, staring ahead but not seeing anything.  
"Yami, please understand-" Grandpa began but was cut off by Yami's low voice.  
"I think I'll sleep a bit more..."  
"Yes. That would be the best." He lay down and Salomon went to his bedside and tucked him in. Yami knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep anymore. He heard how Joey got back into his sleeping bag and sighed when Grandpa closed the door behind him. It was going to be a long night.  
  
  
When Yugi woke up again the doctor wasn't around. He sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. He didn't feel much better but at least he hadn't the urge to throw up again.  
"So you're finally awake, brat. Come on!" He was pulled out of the bed and half dragged, half stumbling behind the guard out of the hospital wing. He tried to keep up as he tripped behind the man who dragged him to the elevator. Looking up he recognized Jack and groaned mentally.  
He was thrown inside, when the doors of the elevator opened. He fell onto his hands and knees and before he could get up the doors closed again. When the elevator stopped again he didn't lose any time with trying to adjust to the shadowy tunnel, clearly remembering what happened last time. He quickly searched for Tom and joined him at their usual working spot after finding him. He greeted Tom silently and frowned when Tom ignored him.   
'What's going on?' They continued to work in silence. During that time Yugi often tried to catch Tom's eyes but Tom refused to look at him. When Tom went to the hole with his arms full of rocks, Yugi picked the few he had up and followed him. At the hole he whispered.  
"What's up, Tom?" Tom didn't look up when he answered.  
"Nothing."   
"Why don't I-" Yugi couldn't finish his sentence when he was hauled backwards and hit the ground hard. He bit his lip to prevent crying out in pain. Gasping he tried to get up but was beaten until he collapsed. He was lying on the floor when the guard continued to kick him in his ribs. To each kick the guard said a word.  
"How often do we have to tell you? You must not talk!" The guard pulled him up by his hair and let go when Yugi stood shakily on his feet.  
"Back to work! Now!" He was pushed to the direction where his working place was. Yugi barely managed to remain on his feet. Looking back he saw Tom walking behind him still not looking at him.   
'What's wrong with him?' Yugi didn't know if he should be glad that Tom didn't get hurt or if he should feel hurt because his friend hadn't stood up for him. Yugi was determined to fond out what happened to Tom since he definitely wasn't acting like himself. He just wanted to talk to him when the guard reappeared watching him like a hawk. He returned to his work deciding that he didn't want to cause Tom any more trouble. He could always ask him later.  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued........  
  
  
Finally finished that chapter, so be nice and tell me what you think ^___^  
If you want to get the next chapter status, just look at my profile ;) 


	10. 05 days prior

I'm back and since I don't have any exams anymore I have finally some more time for my fanfiction.  
Thanks @ all who reviewed ^___^  
  
@ Mittens2200: Here is the next chapter and thank you!  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: Actually, err, wrong. They'll have still some lows to face before they may (and only may) pick up. I know what you mean. I had to fight myself to not throw Jack from the next cliff, but I still need him for something (unfortunately).   
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: This chapter explains what happened to Tom and you shouldn't forget that Tom is still a teenager and with that has some rather confusing thoughts/emotions.  
  
@ Mikomi Rae: I know that he has to, but you'll see if he'll manage or not.  
  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 10  
  
  
  
~~~5 days prior~~~  
  
When Yugi was allowed to return to the sleeping cave, Tom was there and already asleep. He sighed and sat down on the cold floor.  
'Later then.' They needed the bit rest they were allowed to have. He looked around trying to find a child who was different. Every kid in the mines had the same dull eyes which reflected desperation along with hopelessness. The only one who didn't or rather hadn't displayed that kind of emotion had been Tom. But Yugi could see that he was slowly falling apart too, until he was broken like the other children. Yugi sighed and lay down.   
He wouldn't give up. He wanted to see his family and friends again. He missed being around his other half and wanted to feel Yami's strong arms wrapped around him in a tight hug. It just wasn't fair. He didn't even have the time to spend a full day with his Yami after he got to know that Yami loved him just like he did love his yami. He rolled on his side and tried to fall asleep his thoughts lingering on his love.  
  
  
Yami didn't really sleep in the night. Sometimes he dozed off only to wake up some time later again. When Joey woke up in the morning he pretended to be still asleep. He didn't want to get up and face another day without Yugi. He thought about what happened last night. He had to admit that his idea had been a bit foolish. The chances to sense Yugi, when he headed north were slim to none. All the mines in the north were spread out and it would take days to get near them and then who would guarantee that he really could tell where Yugi was.   
He started to get restless and after several times of turning around in bed he got up and got dressed. He soon found out that nobody was upstairs and he headed to the entrance door which he found unlocked. He went downstairs and saw Joey and Grandpa in the shop. Obviously there were new cards and other toys for the game shop and both were sorting through them. There was one box on the edge of the counter and when Yami reached the bottom step it started to fall. Out of reflex, he caught it and put it back on the counter, remembering how he had caught Yugi, when he had put such a box away, 9 days ago. He didn't look at Grandpa or Joey who both had noticed him when he had caught the box.  
"Morning, Yami. Slept well?" Yami just shrugged. Grandpa couldn't ask anything else since some teenagers entered the shop. With a last glance at Yami he turned to the customers. While Salomon was occupied with the customers, Yami and Joey brought the boxes into the storeroom.  
"Yami I-." Yami turned his lifeless eyes to Joey who shook his head.  
"Nothing." Once they finished Yami went back upstairs and flopped down on the sofa. He didn't have the energy to move on. He snorted at this realisation. 'Why should I want to go on? I'll never see Yugi again. Yugi was – is – my life. Without him, I don't have anything to live for.' He didn't look up when someone entered the living room. He only recognized Joey when he stepped into his seeing range.  
  
  
Joey was worried about his friend. He followed Yami upstairs and found him lying on the sofa. He was staring into nothing and didn't even acknowledge that Joey was in the same room when he kneeled in front of Yami. Joey didn't know what to say or what to do when he looked into Yami's lost and empty eyes. He took the hand which Yami had left dangling from the sofa into his own.  
"Yami, you have to snap out of it." There was no response and Joey started to get afraid.  
"Is it Yugi? Did he..." He couldn't finish his sentence, fearing that the worst had happened to his small friend. Yami's pupils slowly moved to look at Joey than they got unfocused, a sign that Yami was calling through the bond. His eyes came back in focus and he slightly shook his head. Joey nodded, relieved that Yugi was till alive. He hoped that Officer Andrews would find Yugi and the children even if the chance was very small. He could tell that Yami knew that too and therefore had lost hope. Joey looked once again at Yami and saw that his eyes were beginning to droop and he was slowly nodding off. Joey turned to go downstairs so that Yami could sleep once more, knowing that Yami wouldn't be able to sleep for long.  
  
  
It felt like he had just fallen asleep when he was woken up by one of the guards with a stick. Yugi quickly got up before he could get hit again. He headed to the section where they could eat. After retrieving a bowl he scanned the room until he spotted Tom. However Tom finished his portion before he could even sit down. Yugi sighed.  
'Later then. It's not like we don't have time in here.' He started to eat and fought hard to not spit it out. It was even worse than Spam¹.   
'Now I know why Tom eats so fast. He doesn't want to taste this.' He sighed again, remembering Tom's words about being punished for not eating. So he took a leaf out of Tom's book and ate it fast, hoping to not upset his stomach again. After he finished he returned to their working space, spotting Tom who came back from the hole. They worked in silence until they needed to bring the rocks to the hole. Yugi glanced around. Since he didn't see any guard around he decided to use this chance.  
"Tom, what's up with you?"  
"Nothing." Tom turned to walk away but Yugi grasped his arm.  
"Please Tom. I thought we were friends." Tom looked on Yugi's hand and than up in Yugi's eyes. Yugi was taken aback by the dullness which had settled in Tom's eyes.  
"Please not you too Tom. We're friends, I want to help you." Tom shrugged Yugi's hand off. Yugi quickly glanced around. He couldn't see a guard so he decided to talk on. Something must have happened to Tom and he wanted to know what. Before he could ask again Tom looked back onto his dirty shoes and said.  
"You shouldn't make any friends in a place like this."  
"What are you talking about? Why not? With friends, such a situation becomes bearable. I couldn't stand to be on my own here. I would go crazy."  
"You want to know why?" Yugi saw a small spark of Tom's old self returning in Tom's eyes.  
"Yes, tell me why you think like that."  
"You wouldn't understand."  
"Try me."  
"Fine. If you don't have friends you won't get hurt!"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Knew you wouldn't understand."  
"Then explain it."  
"You wouldn't understand. You're still so full of hope, too full of hope. Hope doesn't help you to survive. And neither do friends. You'll lose far more when you lose your friend." Yugi frowned at this and than suddenly something clicked in his head. Considering his health condition for the past days it was no wonder that Tom feared to lose him as a friend.  
"So what you are trying to say is that if you make friends you could get hurt if you lose them." Tom simply nodded and looked away the spark disappearing from his eyes again.  
"So in order to protect yourself from that, you prevent getting nearer to the other kids and you withdraw from me? That's ridiculous!" Tom looked up again and wanted to say something. Instead of that his eyes widened and Yugi whirled around. There was the same guard as yesterday, stick in his hands and looking very angry. Yugi gulped but moved so he stood in front of Tom.  
"Seems like you don't want to understand how things are going on here, brat!" Yugi pushed Tom out of the way, receiving the hit full force. It sent him to the ground where he was beaten mercilessly until he was barely conscious.   
"No! Stop it!" He could blurrily see how Tom pounced on the guard to protect him. He also saw a second guard coming to the other guard's help. While the second one hit Tom over and over again, the first guard returned to Yugi.  
"You're going to be a good example for the other brats so they do not talk!" He was hit once more and everything went black.  
  
  
Jonathan Smith received another call that one of the kids was injured and went to the elevator. He waited in front of it until it got up to his floor. He gasped when the door opened. There on the floor were two boys lying in a bloody mess. He cursed and ran to get stretchers. A few minutes later he had somehow managed to get both boys onto them and hurried back to the hospital wing. There he examined both boys. He saw that Tom was badly injured, but it wasn't anything life threatening. Yugi on the other hand was going into shock. He worked hard to prevent this. Once he had Yugi steadied, he breathed in relief. Now John could only wait for them to wake up again.  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued.....  
  
¹ I got that idea with the spam from cloud-1-3-5's fanfiction "In a room" You should go and read it, it's great.  
Please review and until the next time. ^__^ 


	11. 04 days prior

Hi there,  
Just some short commence due to a killer headache that is torturing/killing me:  
- Changed my nickname from Mercedes to Serendipity  
- Chapter 12 is coming up as soon as I typed it  
  
@ Yami-Yugi: Here is more, even if it is rather short ^__^  
  
@ Mittens2200: Nope Tom isn't turning to the dark side of the force, eh, or something like that (too much Star Wars ^__^°) In this chappie is more about Tom ^__^  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: *dazed* *blush* Yay! Thanks for the compliment *glomp in return* About the torture fic; I was thinking about that too after I wrote that chapter and I would write one, if it wouldn't mess my story line. Perhaps in the sequel *evil laughter*  
  
@ Hikari no Yami: I bet you read cloud-1-3-5's story than ^___^ I thought that spam just fitted in the previous chapter. You have to understand Grandpa. He already (thinks that he) lost Yugi and doesn't want to lose Yami, who is like a second grandson to him, too.  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: Hope that was soon enough ^__^ I know what you mean; I would like to reach through the monitor and strangle everyone (even so I am the one who makes them act like that -_-°)  
  
@ Mikomi Rae: Thanks for your review and I understand how you feel. I have some sort of time line and I'm writing the chapters in school on paper because I want to know how it goes on - my muse is always surprising me; especially if it keeps on getting to me during my biology lessons (why can't it let me pay attention *sigh*)  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 11  
  
  
  
~~~4 days prior~~~  
  
Joey watched as Yami dragged himself through the flat. He hated to see how Yami was slowly falling apart without the slightest notice that he cared about it. Another thing that made him worry was the fact that Yami hadn't had said anything since the night he had tried to go to find Yugi on his own.   
Joey had done his best to get Yami to snap out of his current mood. But Yami ignored everything Joey suggested to distract him. Joey could tell that Yami was regularly reaching out to Yugi's silent end of their bond and every time he felt the silence made it made him become even sadder. Grandpa was also trying to help Yami getting out of that mood by asking him to do little favours, but that didn't work either.  
Yami often was sitting on a chair behind the counter in the game shop, keeping out of sight of customers. When he wasn't doing that, he was dozing on the sofa to avoiding the bedroom, or sitting on the window ledge staring outside with his dull eyes, or just sitting somewhere doing nothing. (http://www.geocities.com/mrinoa1984/top38.jpg)  
Yami was just heading downstairs, dragging his feet while walking. Since Joey was currently looking after Yami, he followed him into the shop. Yami sat down on the chair looking up at the teenagers standing in front of the shop. Joey saw one of them slipping something into his pocket before they all entered the shop. While they were looking through shelves, one teen approached Grandpa, not noticing Yami sitting behind the counter or Joey standing in the stairway. Joey soon got to know what the teen had slipped into his pocket as he drew out a knife of it.  
"Open the till, senile old man!" Grandpa involuntarily took a step back while Joey hurried to get beside him. He and Grandpa were surprised when Yami leapt over the counter and knocked the knife out of the teens' hand, the Eye of Horus glowing on his forehead while his own eyes seemed to burn with anger. The teen, clearly hadn't expected another person behind the counter, nor had he expected being attacked by one and especially not by one with three eyes.  
"Out! Now!" Yami growled and the small group fled frightened from the shop. Yami turned to Grandpa, the dullness creeping back into his eyes, but less intense this time, while the Eye of Horus vanished.  
"Are you alright, Grandfather?"  
"Yes, thanks Yami."   
"Wow, you were fast mate. And you gave them quite a scare." Yami just muttered something under his breath that sounded like "too slow for Yugi" before sitting down again already eyeing the next customer who entered. Grandpa and Joey looked at each other before Joey whispered to Salomon.  
"One improvement; he talks again."  
  
  
Jonathan was refreshing Tom's bandages while Tom was looking at Yugi who was still out cold. Tom had woken up in the morning and his first question was how Yugi's condition was. John had told him that they both had been lucky this time.  
John heard Tom sigh once he was finished.  
"Hey, doc, when will shorty wake up?" John looked up and saw Tom staring at Yugi. He also turned his gaze to the unconscious form of the boy lying on the bed he had occupied most of the time he had been in the mines.   
"Approximately tomorrow or the day after that." A small grin appeared on Tom's face  
"When will he wake up for the others?"  
"No less than a week, which reminds me that you should go back to sleep too, or at least pretend to. I would like to keep an eye on you for the next days." Tom nodded and frowned. John regarded him once more.  
"Actually, what happened down there?" Tom avoided meeting John's eyes and talked, his head still turned to Yugi.  
"Shorty talked some sense into me."  
"Sense? What are you talking about?" Tom sighed before he searched Jonathan's eyes.  
"I...got afraid of losing another friend again...like the last time Jack brought someone in...I tried to be like every other child again, hoping that I don't have to experience that again when I...give up." Jonathan walked nearer to Tom and put a hand on his shoulder.  
"Whatever happens, you mustn't lose hope Tomas. Your father works for the police. He'll do everything to get you back." Tom sighed and his shoulders dropped.  
"I know, but...it's been so long."  
"Never lose hope Tom, never." When Tom nodded Jonathan applied slight pressure so Tom lay back down. Tom looked once more at Yugi, but when a guard entered he quickly faked being asleep, not wanting to return to the mines without knowing how Yugi was.  
"What is now?" John asked the guard.  
"Follow me Smith and take your emergency kit with you." Was the only reply before he turned around and walked out again. John got the kit and followed the man who went to the elevator. At the elevator the man gave Jonathan instructions that there had been some intruders who the boss didn't want to die yet.   
Two floors downstairs he got out again and went to a room on the right. There on the floor were laying three men, all with their hands bound behind their backs. He walked over to them and kicked something which was on the floor. Looking down he saw a purse. He picked it up and looked at the identity card and at the badge which was in it. 'Officer Randy Tomas Andrews.' That wasn't good.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued....  
Sorry that it's so short, but I didn't have anything to write into this one and I wanted to keep on writing 'one chapter-one day' like the last ones.   
The next chapter is going to be up in one or two days ;)  
Seren 


	12. 03 days prior

If you want to get to know about the chapter status you should read my profile ;)  
  
My Spanish teacher gave me a heart attack today. I can barely speak Spanish (even so I had learnt it for two years) and she asked me that if I'm writing stories in my free time, I should translate them into Spanish. That would take years with my rudimentary knowledge -_-°  
  
Thank you all who read this fic so far and even a bigger thanks to the ones who reviewed ^___^   
I got 8 reviews for the last chapter – I'm so happy ^___^  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: I know that I neglected Yugi's friends -_-° They are going to be in the next chapter with a comment about that ;) (And yeah I know who Anzu and Honda are from the Manga ^__^) I wouldn't be too sure about your theory with Andrews, but you'll see. Malik isn't in the story, because I don't know him that good. The German Manga and Anime are too far behind for that.   
  
@ Yami-Yugi: You asked for more, here is more ^___^  
  
@ EponaHorseTwo: Kill Yami? That would be the last thing I thought about. Anyway here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy ^__^   
  
@ Wolfspeaker: Thanks for the compliment. Tell you what: I finished it today in school on paper. Now the only thing I've got to do is typing, editing and posting it ^__^  
  
@ Yami Fan: I am continuing it since this story is my pride ^__^  
  
@ Koumori, Goddess of Dragons: Yami meets Yugi again in a later chapter ;) To what happens to Andrew; this is going to be answered in a sequel which is definitely going to get up once I finished posting it.  
  
@ PussyKat: I said in the chapter before that this one was going to get up in one or two days. Is this soon enough for you ^___^? *imagining a yami plushie humming the star wars theme* *lol* I would definitely like that *g*  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: Good that you didn't mind since this one is even shorter. I just wanted to keep the one-chapter-describes-one-day-pattern ;) Tom wouldn't be Tom if he really gave up without getting back to his senses ^___^   
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 12  
  
  
  
~~~3 days prior~~~  
  
Yugi groaned when he woke up. He sat up drowsily and bit his button lip as he felt pain almost everywhere in his body. Looking around he recognized the now familiar hospital wing. He also could see Tom who had sat up when he did and Jonathan who was walking to him.  
"What happened?"  
"We just got the shit beaten out of us, shorty, that's all." Yugi frowned at that. Tom was talking about this very lightly, but at least he was sounding normal again. Jonathan started to examine him, asking him questions where it hurt and if that hurt and so on. He stopped when he heard footsteps just outside of the infirmary. He pushed Yugi gently but firmly back into a laying position. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw that Tom had laid down again, his eyes closed.  
"Close your eyes and play along." Yugi barely had closed his eyes when the door banged open. He tried not to wince at the pain the loud noise caused in his throbbing skull.  
"Smith! When are those lazy brats up again?"  
"I'm not sure. Not until next week. Even if they were conscious, they were beaten too hard to be able to return to work."  
"Patch them up and send them back!" Then Yugi could hear firm footsteps moving away and the door was closed loudly. At John's sigh of relief Yugi heard bed sheets moving and dared to crack his eyes open. John was once more at his side, finishing his examination.  
"What was that all about?"  
"Simple. As soon as you two are awake, they'll drag you back down and we'll see each other the next day again. You weren't supposed to leave the last time, but when I got back you were already gone."  
"So we should keep our voices down, shorty, in case someone passes the door outside." Yugi nodded and didn't bother to sit up in case one of the guards entered the hospital without them hearing before.  
  
He seemed to have dozen off. When Yugi opened his eyes again the lights were dimmed. He could hear Tom's even breathing and one look at him told Yugi that he was deeply asleep. He sat up and in an instant Jonathan was at his side.  
"Hey Yugi. How do you feel?"  
"Thanks to you, better." Yugi smiled slightly at his Grandpa's old friend, but his smile quickly vanished and was replaced with a look of sadness as soon as he thought of his Grandfather and of Yami.  
"What's the matter?" Yugi was just about to say 'nothing' but stopped before he even opened his mouth and shook his head instead.  
"It's just..." He sighed and looked onto his hands.  
"I'm missing my grandpa and Yami and my friends." His voice suddenly sounded thick and rubbed his eyes refusing to cry openly. He didn't think that John would think less of him if he started to cry, but the fact remained that if one of the other men decided to check on him and Tom he could get into trouble and with that back into the mines.  
A warm hand on his shoulder made him look up and he met John's eyes.  
"Yugi, what would you do to get home?" Yugi frowned at that, not wanting his hope to get up so soon.  
"What do you mean, Jo?"  
"I mean, would you do everything to be able to get home?"  
"Yes, but someone said that you only get out of here when...as..."  
"...as a corpse, I know...but there might be a way." Yugi leaned closer when Jonathan said how he got to know his boss. He also told Yugi about the drug he'd been inventing.  
"You mean I could get out of here?  
"Yes, but it is very risky and dangerous. The drug puts you in a death-like sleep and the chance that you don't wake up again lies by 27%. That's higher than I like it."  
"I don't know if I should take it then...wait a second, how long does the effect wear on?"  
"Less than 48 hours. It depends on each individual person."   
"So if the two days are up and I'm still in that sleep I ...won't wake up?"  
"Yes."  
"Another thing; I read somewhere that if the brain doesn't get oxygen for four or five minutes you'll die."  
"That's right. The drug reduces your breathing to a minimum and provides your system with enough oxygen to not cause any organ damage. Because of that you'll die from lack of oxygen if you shouldn't wake up after the two days."  
"Did you test it before?"  
"Yes, it helped some people who needed organ transplantation, but the transport of the new organ took too long and with the drug they were able to survive long enough." Yugi noticed the sudden sad look in John's eyes.  
"But it didn't work on everyone."  
"No, sadly not."   
"Side effects?"  
"After you woke up you'll be easily exhausted for around a week or even two. There might also be some nausea and your muscles might take some time to operate properly again. In the worst case you could pass out due to the other side effects if you push yourself too hard and too fast, so you should rest very often. And-" A noise outside caught their attention and Yugi laid down again.  
"Think about it, Yugi. Tomorrow you can tell me if you want to take it or not."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued.......  
  
Please comment ^___^  
Seren 


	13. 02 days prior

The story is rudimentary finished on paper ^__^ It just needs to be typed (or partly retyped because I can't read my own handwriting anymore -_-°) edited and posted ^___^   
I also started to write the first chapter of the sequel and since I'm going to have my summer holidays next week, I'll have plenty of time to write.  
  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: Wow, you're fast. I just finished typing this chapter after I posted the last one and you already reviewed *glombs* I have some ideas for the sequel, but I can't decide which to use.  
  
@ The Insane Otaku AKA Caterfree: Thank you very much ^___^ I'm currently typing the next chapter, so I don't know yet when I'm going to put it up. From where in Germany is your family? And btw I'm an authoress ;)  
  
@ K8DGR81: Thanks for reviewing. I'm always writing when I find the time for it (so the long updates were during the weeks I had my exams so I had to learn for school) And yep, I'm really writing from Germany ^__^ and I don't mind any questions, after all I had some of my own about the English Yu-Gi-Oh version ;) I know what you mean about watching Yu-G-Oh in other languages. I saw it once in English and I thought that the English voice 'actors' really are funny, since I'm just used to the German ones. The German Joey and Ryou/Bakura don't have any accent, but that would also be hard to "translate" into German ;)  
  
@ Yami-Yugi: Here is more ^___^  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: I don't think that there is such a drug either (it's just fanfiction ;)) I looked around the net for some characterisations of Malik and I get the idea, but thanks for your explanation ^__^  
  
@ Sophia: You'll see what happens in this chapter here and I'm hurrying to get the story typed soon ;)  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
"//…//" Yami to Yugi + direct speech   
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 13  
  
  
  
~~~2 days prior ~morning~ ~~~  
  
Yugi didn't sleep at all at night. He thought about the drug Jo had invented. He wanted so badly to get home, but was that high risk even worth it? It didn't matter how he thought about it, the risk would still be there. He was still uncertain in the early hours of the morning when suddenly one of the guards entered. He did his best to keep his breathing even and to fake sleep. He heard how the guard walked and stopped near him. A few seconds later he moved again and Yugi could tell that he was near Tom now.  
"So you're awake, brat." Yugi's breath got caught in his throat when he heard Tom yelp and he would have sat up if a strong warm hand hadn't hold him down.   
"He still needs rest." Yugi heard John demanding beside him. He cracked carefully one eye open and saw John standing at his bedside. He quickly closed his eye again. John obviously didn't want him to get dragged back into the mines too or he wouldn't have pressed Yugi down like this.  
"He gets his rest, after the work. And this other brat is going back today too." With that the door was slammed shut and Yugi sat up as soon as John let go of him. Neither spoke for a moment, since Jonathan was already used to this and Yugi didn't know how to react. Then John looked at Yugi.  
"How did you decide?" Yugi took a deep breath. He knew if the guards would bring him back down he would end up in the hospital again so it would be better to use this chance to escape. But his conscience always reminded him of Tom and how he would react. If he took the drug he would be officially dead and with Tom's fear of losing a friend it would shatter Tom's faith.  
On the other side, he wanted to help his friend and he couldn't if he really died in the mines. The last thing that convinced him was that he really missed Yami. So he did what his grandfather always told him to do; he followed his heart and his heart was screaming for Yami.   
Finally determined he looked at John and said.  
"I want to get home. I'll do it." Jonathan nodded.  
"I'll do my best to get you home, but that's going to be risky." John walked to a cupboard and got a bottle with a clear liquid out.  
"What do you mean with that?" John got a syringe out and returned with the bottle and the syringe to Yugi's bedside.   
"The normal procedure is to dump the corpse somewhere, but there are kids who get brought home by way of exception. I hope I can convince the boss to let me take you....and even that's going to be dangerous." The last part was muttered under his breath while he connected Yugi to a machine which showed his steady heartbeat.  
"Why? What's risky about that?" John was pulling the liquid into the syringe, but stopped with that at Yugi's question.  
"That part is not going to be dangerous for you or me, but for someone else." John finished filling the syringe.  
"For whom?" He stopped once more with what he was doing.  
"For...my wife Amanda. I wouldn't be staying here if the boss wasn't threatening to kill her and they observe her once I leave the mines." John cleaned a spot on Yugi's arm with some alcohol before he injected the drug into Yugi's blood system.  
Yugi laid down again, waiting for the drug to kick in. It took some moments before his arm, where the drug had been injected, started to hurt a bit. He started to shiver slightly from cold at first and then he even shivered more violently. Unconsciously he reached out for Yami and was surprised when he could feel him again and with that his messed emotions.  
/Yami?/  
//Aibou!!//  
  
  
Yami was once again sitting on the window ledge, staring out at some playing children. Grandpa had gotten up and was preparing breakfast while Joey, who had temporary moved in, had just gotten out of bed and was sitting on the sofa almost falling asleep again. Yami sighed and rested his forehead on the glass. He suddenly felt some stirring in the back of his mind.  
/Yami?/  
"//Aibou!!//" He quickly sat up his eyes wide. Joey also was fully awake in an instant while Salomon came out of the kitchen.  
"Yami, can you hear-" Joey started but didn't continue when Yami held one hand up to stop him so he could concentrate on Yugi.  
//Aibou, what happened? Where are you? Are you ok? Wh-//  
/Yami, please listen./ Yami used the slight pause to touch Yugi's mind through their bond. He was shocked to fell Yugi's life draining away, almost like sand in an hour-glass.  
//No...You're...no...you can't...Aibou...// Tears sprang into Yami's eyes as he slowly stood up.  
"//You can't die Aibou, please no...//" Joey and Grandpa both gasped when Yami said the last part out loud. Grandpa made his way over to Yami and put an arm around the boy. Yami didn't react to the touch since he didn't really feel it.  
/Yami, I'm sorry...it was my decision.../ Yami didn't know what to think about the last part and continued to listen.  
/Please...Yami, you have to warn a woman called Amanda Smith;...Grandpa knows her....She has to get away, she's going to be in danger.../  
//Aibou, I-//  
/Just...warn her.../ Yami felt how his other half was getting weaker with each passing second.  
/I miss you so much...you...grandpa...my friends...say ...say sorry from me to all....... Yami….I'm….I'm tired…./ He could feel how Yugi was slipping away   
/…if this doesn't….doesn't work out…. Yami…. am sorry….so sorry….Goodbye Yami…I'll never forget you…../ Yami felt how the link went silent again.  
//No!! Aibou!// Reaching out he sensed that the link wasn't just silent, but gone completely, only leaving a black void in the back of his mind.  
He sank to his knees, pulling Grandpa down with him. He put his head in his hands, grasping his hair while he had his eyes tightly shut.  
"//No…it can't be….no….no…no…AIBOU!!//"   
  
  
Miles away Yugi didn't hear Yami's outburst as he didn't even have the energy to completely close his eyes. His eyes got a blank dead look when his breathing slowed down until it stopped.  
Jonathan stood at Yugi's bedside and looked at the machine when Yugi's heartbeat got weaker until it flat lined. Looking at Yugi's face he saw that his eyes were still open. He closed them gently, before he headed to the boss's office, without switching the heart monitor off which's sound filled the silent room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued……  
  
Phew, that was harder to write than the other chapters, so please review.  
Serendipity. 


	14. 01 day prior

I know I didn't mention any other friend than Joey, but in the first place they didn't know where Yami and Joey were in Tokyo. After the two returned from Tokyo I partly forgot them and partly didn't know what to do with them so I just let them out. Let's just say that they had own family business going on or helped Yami and Joey as good as they could.  
  
  
@ Yami-Yugi: Here is more ^____^  
  
@ Wolfspeaker: *blush* whoa, domo arigatou for the compliment and I'm really hurrying to get it finished ;)  
  
@ Xanda: Thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story too.  
  
@ The Insane Otaku AKA Caterfree: I know I'm cruel with the cliffhangers (and I admit that I love that *evilgrin*) And I think I'm going to out myself right now, but who is Wufei?  
  
@ Si'ver: I'm sorry to hear that you won't have a computer in the next time; I know I wouldn't survive this.   
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: I got your email and searched for some more information about this. The information you gave me made me curious and after I read some things about that powder I got some ideas for the sequel. Hey, I think I'm declaring you being my official inspiration ^___^ I had trouble to write a beginning so far your information helped a great deal, so thank you *glomb*. I already started working on the sequel since my mother used my computer and I couldn't continue typing T.T  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts or stressing something  
  
  
  
Losing you  
  
  
Chapter 14  
  
  
  
~~~1 day prior ~evening~ ~~~  
  
John was sitting in his old car, waiting for the traffic light to switch to green. He glanced at the passenger seat where he had placed Yugi's 'corpse' tightly wrapped in a white blanket so that not even his hair was showing. He thought back to everything that happened the evening before.  
  
  
~~~ memories ~~~  
  
It had taken him over an hour to convince his boss that he wanted to take the corpse back to his family. The boss had agreed to it after some time, but not without reminding Smith that his wife would be dead if he tried to warn her. After that he had returned to the hospital wing.  
There he found Tom slightly shaking Yugi so that he was a few centimetres off of the bed, begging him to wake up and that this wasn't funny anymore. In the background he could still hear the heart monitor showing nothing else than the flat line. Since there was a guard with them in the room, John couldn't tell Tom how Yugi really was and tried his best to get Tom off his friend, who refused to let go.  
"You have to do something, John. You're the doctor, you have to save Yugi." John tried his best to comfort him.  
"Tom, please calm down."  
"Calm down? Why aren't you doing anything? There has to be some way." Jonathan shook his head. He hated himself for what he was going to do.  
"No, I can't do anything. It's too late." That was enough for Tom and he immediately let go of Yugi's upper arms, which caused Yugi to flop lifelessly down onto the bed. The guard, who had enough of this, left the hospital and John was just about to start his explanation, when his temporary help, who would look after the children while he was away, entered the hospital wing. So Jonathan just shook his head and left Tom in the other man's care. That man was rather cold towards the children, but took good care of the children's injuries. While he took care of Tom, John cleaned Yugi up and found some second hand clothes - which they had in store for emergencies - which even resembled Yugi's own clothing before they got torn and bloody. After that he wrapped Yugi in one of the blankets which were usually used to transport corpses and carried Yugi out of the hospital and out of the mines.  
  
A blaring horn from the car behind him snapped him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the clock and drove on. With his current speed and including breaks he would arrive at the Mutous in the morning. If everything went alright, Yugi would wake up a few hours before they got there and only be asleep again due to the side effects of the drug which could take days to wear off.  
  
  
If Joey had thought that Yami had been depressed a few days ago, he had been mistaken. While Yami had responded at least with gestures before, he now didn't react to anything. He was almost constantly silently crying now and sometimes sobbing openly. Joey refused to break down too. Yami needed him; he couldn't and wouldn't let him down now. Grandpa had gone out earlier to warn the woman Yami had been talking about, especially after Yami had mentioned that it was Yugi's wish. He had returned an hour after he had gone out, had gone into his bedroom and hadn't come out since then.  
Joey waited for the right moment to talk to Yami, knowing that one wrong word at the wrong time would upset him even further. He needed to speak to Yami, or rather Yami needed to talk to someone since he was falling apart quickly.  
Yami was sitting on the sofa his arms wrapped around his legs which he had pulled up to his chest, while he leant his chin on his knees. His cheeks were still wet, but the flow of tears had stopped for once.   
'Now or never.' With that thought Joey sat down beside Yami, wrapping an arm around the other boy.  
  
  
Yami sighed slightly when he felt an arm around his shoulder.   
'Please just leave me alone.' He didn't react in any other way to Joey's touch.  
"Yami, come on mate, we need to talk."  
'I don't want to, don't you understand?'  
"I know that you're hurt, but you don't have to deal with this alone."  
'Just shut up and leave me alone.'  
"If you don't want to speak to me then please talk at least to Grandpa."  
"Why do you care?" Yami's voice was just above a whisper. He could tell that Joey was taken aback by that but he couldn't bring himself to care for the moment. Yugi was gone, that was all that currently ruled his mind and he didn't think about the fact that his behaviour was hurting his friend.  
"You're my friend as well as Yugi is...was. Yugi wouldn't have wanted you to get down like that. Especially not when your Grandpa needs you."  
That triggered something in Yami's mind. He stood up, surprising Joey, and went to Salomon's room but stopped just outside the door.  
"Yami, what's-"  
"Shush." Yami thought that he had heard something from within the room. He listened closely and heard it again. Puzzled he tried to make out what it was until he recognized the noise as muffled sobs.   
He gasped and wondered how he could have been so stupid and selfish. True Yugi had been his other half and not feeling him anymore made him feel so incomplete and empty. But nevertheless he wasn't the only who was hurt because of everything. Yami knocked on the door and entered when he didn't get a response. Joey followed him but stayed in the doorway. Yami approached the bed where Salomon was sitting. He saw his bloodshot eyes and kneeled beside him onto the bed. He took Grandpa in his arms trying to comfort him and also searching comfort for himself.  
  
  
Joey watched the scene from the doorway. He had finally reached Yami after almost 24 hours of trying. He knew that the following time was going to be really hard for everyone. Joey left the bedroom to give Yami and Salomon some time alone. He closed the door and leant against it. He could feel how tears were welling up in his eyes, but forced them back. He heard the door bell ring, pushed himself from the door and went to answer it. There in front of it were Tea, Tristan, Ryou and Bakura. Joey let them in and they headed into the living room. Tea was the first one to speak.  
"So are there any news...have you been crying, Joey?"   
'They don't know yet!' Joey tried to say something but the words refused to leave his mouth. He shook his head, fighting against the new tears, but slowly losing the battle. Tea gasped when she saw the tears running Joey's cheeks down.  
"Oh God, it's Yugi, isn't it? He..." Tea gulped audibly before she whispered the last word.   
"...died?" Joey just nodded and closed his eyes. He felt someone putting an arm around his shoulder and he leant into the touch.  
"No, it can't be...how do you know anyway?" Tristan wasn't ready to believe that one of his friends had past away.  
"I felt it." Joey's eyes snapped open and he tried to jerk out of Yami's arms. He hadn't noticed that Yami had come out of Salomon's room or that it had been Yami who was embracing him. Yami refused to let go of Joey silently giving and seeking the comfort both of them needed. Joey felt another hand, worn from time, on his arm and when he looked up he saw Grandpa sitting on his other side. He also noticed that Tea was leaning crying against Tristan whose face had blanched several shades. Ryou and Bakura were just standing there, not knowing what to do or how to react. Joey had expected Bakura to make a nasty remark, but Bakura just stood there watching the whole scene while Ryou took on of Bakura's hands in his own. Joey gave his small struggles to get out of Yami's arms up and just leant against Yami, soaking his shirt with his tears, while Yami started rubbing his back.  
'No, I have to be strong for Yami and Grandpa. It hurts them worse than me. I have lost a good -no- my best friend, but Yami has lost the other half of his soul and his love and Grandpa his only grandchild and living relative. I can't and mustn't break down like this.' He tensed and tried to stop his flow of tears until Yami spoke soothingly to him.  
"Sshh, I realize now that I'm not the only one hurting. Just let it out." Joey tried to fight it, but soon gave up and sobbed into Yami's chest.  
"That's unfair. Yugi had been too young to die. He had always been nice to other people, sometimes even too naïve for his own good. Yugi just doesn't deserve to die like this." His voice broke and he just let the tears flow.   
"I know, Joey, I know." Joey calmed down after some time, sitting up properly and nodding his thanks to Yami. A tense and sad silence had settled between the friends, showing how greatly every single person was affected that Yugi was gone and would never return.  
  
  
Jonathan kept glancing between the street, his watch and the still unmoving form of Yugi. It was just a few minutes after the 48 hours mark. He knew that there was a tolerance time of approximately 30 minutes and when these pasted it was really over. He nearly caused an accident because he kept glancing to Yugi.   
After the 30 minutes were over, John stopped and removed the blanket a bit Yugi until he could feel for a pulse on the boy's neck. His hand trembled slightly before he touched the cold skin. He searched for a heartbeat, but found none.  
'No! I killed him. I never should have suggested this. If it hadn't been for me, Yugi would still be alive.' He slowly put the blanket back in place. He leant his arms onto the steering wheel and let his forehead rest on his arms. He had known Yugi when the boy had only been five and John had adored him at that time. Now, ten years later he was amazed of what became of the young man and how Yugi could still be like this after the way he had suffered from the loss of his parents.   
He sighed and started the car again. It was time to tell his old friend the truth about how he had killed his grandchild.  
  
  
~~~ around one hour prior ~~~  
  
It was in the early morning when everyone was up again. The whole group had stayed at the Mutous home, since they had talked about Yugi, how they all had first met him and how they were going to miss him, until late at night. It had hurt Yami to relive all these memories, but sharing these with his friends made it slightly less painful than always replaying them in his mind.  
When he had passed a mirror on his way to the living room, he had been shocked when he saw his own reflection. He didn't need any food and therefore normally couldn't lose or gain any weight, but somehow his worries had made his face become thinner. He had bags and black rings under his eyes while his eyes were almost as red as his normal eye color, evidence that he had cried himself to sleep. His pale face stood in a big contrast to his eyes.   
He shook his head and went into the living room where everyone else was, except for Ryou who had gone to open the door. Ryou returned with a man behind him who carried a bundle in his arms. Grandpa immediately recognized his old friend.  
"Jonathan? What are you doing in Domino again?" He asked the man who tried to say something, but didn't find the words for it. Yami was meanwhile concentrating in the bundle. There at the very top of it was a tip of hair coming out of the blankets; a red tip which resembled his own hair. He didn't pay attention to the man when he slowly walked in some kind of trance towards him. Everything seemed surreal to Yami while time was almost standing still. Jonathan had stopped trying to explain what happened and was watching Yami now standing in front of him, looking with wide fear filled eyes onto the bundle. Yami's hand shook intensely when he reached out and removed the blanket to reveal the familiar head of his aibou. Yami didn't take his eyes from Yugi's face when he gently took Yugi's body in his arms. His legs suddenly refused to support his weight any longer and he dropped to his knees. Yami noticed drops on Yugi's face and realized that they were his tears.   
He was holding his aibou's head on his shoulder his body resting in his lap. Yugi didn't respond to his pleads to wake up nor to the shaking he got while Yami wept on the floor never releasing him. Yami looked at Yugi's pale - almost white - face and brought a hand up to touch his aibou's cheek. He withdrew it quickly after feeling the cold skin beneath his fingers and just cried harder. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that after searching for the last weeks for Yugi he now returned home unmoving and cold carried by a stranger who knew his grandfather. This stranger and grandfather were currently talking in low voices, but Yami wasn't paying attention. It had just been two damn weeks his aibou had been missing. Yami knew that he had failed to protect him. He already knew it two weeks before when Yugi had been kidnapped.  
The man was now explaining the situation to them, but Yami only listened half heartily, sitting there crying on the floor, rocking Yugi's corpse in his arms like he used to do when Yugi had had nightmares. When Jonathan turned to the point where he had suggested and later injected the drug, after explaining all the consequences and risks to Yugi, Yami started to listen.  
"How much time has past since then?" Yami asked, but his voice, though sounding thick from crying, held suddenly a cold tone while he tried to control his anger. Jonathan quickly checked his watch.  
"Over 50 hours. And the drug wasn't supposed to work longer than 48 hours."  
"But you knew the risk, didn't you? You could, no, should have denied this drug to Yugi. What was Yugi to you; another test object?! A lab rat which could be used to experiment new drugs with?! That was totally irresponsible of you!" Yami was shouting at John while his anger was rapidly flaring up and with it the Eye of Horus started to burn brightly on his forehead. Jonathan took a step back while Joey hurried to get beside Yami. He grabbed Yami's shoulders and shook him firmly.  
"Yami stop it. You don't know what you're doing!"  
"I don't know what I am doing? No, I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm going to punish that stupid excuse of a doctor!"  
"No, don't do it. I had been Yugi's decision and he knew what he was getting into. And Yugi wouldn't want you to do this." Yami looked down onto Yugi's face. Seeing the peaceful expression on it he calmed down and held Yugi even tighter in his arms. More calmly he spoke into Yugi's hair.  
"You said that the drug was affecting everyone differently, right? So there is still a chance that he'll wake up."  
"Yami, he-"  
"No, he'll wake up. He wouldn't leave me." Joey shook sadly his head at Yami's false hope. Memories were churning in Yami's head. He saw Yugi smiling at him when he just entered the room...Yugi being distressed after waking up from a nightmare...Yugi's glee after winning a duel... Yugi being beaten by some bullies before he took control of Yugi's body...Yugi's cheerful self when he was with him and/or his friend...Yugi's dead eyes from his recent nightmares.  
Yami's mind was in a big mess, which explained his sudden mood swings from angry to sadness to sudden hope. Grandpa spoke from where he was standing beside his friend with a voice that didn't sound like his.  
"Yami, please let go of Yugi." Yami shook his head still holding onto the cold body of his aibou.  
"Yami, it's over." Grandpa was now coming towards him and Yugi.  
"Yami." Yami just shook his head. He wouldn't give up now.  
"Yami, it's too late. Yugi knew the risk." He nearly choked on his own words.  
"No."  
"You need to let go, Yami." Yami just tightened his grip on Yugi and shook his head.  
"Please Yami be sensible." Yami looked shortly up at Grandpa, before he buried his face into Yugi's hair, his body shaking due to his sobs. He couldn't live without his other half.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be concluded.......  
  
  
I can't believe I actually wrote that *going into hiding*  
Now the last chapter needs only some editing due to some unexpected twist the story had made since I wrote the last chapter.  
Serendipity. 


	15. Present' or 'Life has to go on'

Hi there,  
this time no long talks before the actual chapter ^___^  
  
@ Adrienne-Lillian/plushies: The last chapter caused a reaction, huh? Anyway, John just wanted Yugi to be with his family again (lame excuse).   
  
@ Si'ver: I hope you read this before you go on vacation, or at least that you find a computer somewhere ;)  
  
@ Aithril the Elf-Maiden: Thanks for the compliment and I hope this is soon enough for you.  
  
@ Yami-Yugi: Here is the last ^__^  
  
@ The Perpetually Hyper One: Thanks for reviewing to all chapters so far and I hope you enjoyed it. And for the cliffhanger thingy; I know that I'm sometimes sadistic *evil grin*  
  
@ caytlyn: I've send you the last chapter as soon as I posted it ;)  
  
@ Koumori, Dragon Goddess: I know what you mean; it was even hard to write/put him in such a state. I hope this chapter didn't take too long for your liking.  
  
@ katiekat1414: I'm glad you like it ^__^  
  
@ Sophia: I'm wondering myself what made me so cruel like this. *sudden thought* I might be getting a yami *gasp* (just joking)  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I hope I didn't take too long for you. Thanks for reviewing my other story again ^__^ Btw, you should go check my homepage since I experimented with my Photoshop. I think you may like the result ;) (I'm still a newbie at creating pictures with it, so it isn't much)  
  
@ Xanda: I hope that update was soon enough ^__^  
  
@ Karalen the Wood Elf: You have to read to find out about the hope thing ;)  
  
@ Nazomie n-n: Well, there was a warning in the first chapter that I wanted to write a tearjerker ^__^° (good to know that I managed it) I hope the update was soon enough for you.  
  
  
  
  
//…..// Yami to Yugi  
  
/.…./ Yugi to Yami  
  
"..…" direct speech  
  
'…..' thoughts  
  
"//...//" Yami to Yugi + direct speech  
  
  
  
~~~Present~~~  
  
"Please Yami be sensible."  
'How can I be sensible with Yugi motionless in my arms? He isn't breathing - nothing!' Yami cried harder, the tears falling onto Yugi's face.  
'How could he have agreed to this? We would have found him in a few days.' Yami knew that that wasn't true. They could have searched for an eternity and would never have found him. Yami rocked back and forth, Yugi still cradled in his arms. Yugi's last words were still in his head /Yami,….I'm….I'm tired…./ He could still feel how Yugi had slipped away /…if this doesn't….doesn't work out…. Yami…. am sorry….so sorry….Goodbye Yami…I'll never forget you….../   
//Yugi…// Nothing - their link remained dead.  
"Yami, it had been over 50 hours. The effect only should have lasted for 48 hours at the maximum. Let go Yami, you…you can't help him anymore." Grandfather shocked on his own words, accepting the truth.  
"I'm not giving up. I promised to protect Yugi - to be always there for him." Yami cried even harder. When he looked to his friends he saw them standing behind grandpa, silently watching and crying for their lost. Finally the realization hit him hard and he could no longer deny it. He felt faint and whispered.  
"It's…it's really too late?" //Aibou…no...// Grandfather got to his knees and hugged Yami as best as he could with Yugi's cold body between them. Joey could see Yami's eyes over Grandpa's shoulder and was shocked how hollow and lifeless they looked. The dullness that had been in Yami's eyes before had shown Yami's sadness. Now his eyes looked empty as if he had died together with his other half. He had known that Yami would be heartbroken, but he never imagined that he would be like this. A quick glance at Tea, Tristan and Ryou showed him that they saw it too. Even Bakura seemed to be shocked. Grandpa gently took Yugi out of Yami's arms.  
"//No! Aibou!!//" Yami jumped to his feet and reached out to get Yugi back, but Joey stopped him after Salomon looked pleadingly at him. Yami struggled in Joey's grip trying to get to his hikari.  
"//Yugi! Don't leave me!//"  
"Yami, please don't make it harder than it is." Yami looked at Joey still with these hollow eyes before he broke down. Joey was too sad to react and support Yami when he dropped to his knees.  
//Aibou…// Grandpa placed Yugi onto the couch. Yami crawled to the sofa, took Yugi's hand in his own and placed his head onto Yugi's stomach, his face turned to Yugi's pale one.   
//Hikari...// He sighed and closed his eyes, letting the tears silently running down onto Yugi. He sighed again, his head lifting a bit up with Yugi's stomach. Yami's eyes snapped open.  
'Did I imagine this?' He tried to reach for Yugi through their link and joy filled him as he found it being back, still weak but slowly getting stronger, the black void which had clogged the back of his mind had vanished.  
//Yugi?//  
/Ya…mi?/ Yami got from a sitting position into a kneeling one and watched as Yugi's eyelids slowly fluttered open while he inhaled softly and shakily. Yami's tears of anguish and despair turned into tears of pure happiness. Yugi looked into Yami's bloodshot eyes and at his tear streaked face.  
/Yami….I missed you./  
"Yugi." He took Yugi in his arms as if he was made out of glass and kissed his aibou's lips. Never in their lives had a kiss tasted that sweet and salty. Salty because of Yami's tears and sweet because of finally being together again. Their friends were approaching Yami, not seeing that Yugi was back with the living. Their breaths got caught in their throats when Yugi's trembling arms weakly embraced Yami. Ryou immediately called for Grandpa and Jonathan while the others sat down on the floor beside the couch Yugi was laying on. Yami let go of Yugi long enough so that the doctor could check on him. John nodded after a few minutes and seemed satisfied.  
"With much sleep and rest, you should soon be alright again Yugi." With that John left the living room, while Yugi's friends (one after one) hugged Yugi. Yami - seeing that Yugi was currently occupied with his friends - went after the doctor, who had already said goodbye to Salomon and had gone downstairs.  
Jonathan was just about to leave when he heard someone behind him. After turning around he saw Yami following him.  
"Do you want to make sure that I left?" John asked; his voice tinted with anger. Yami avoided making eye contact and spoke instead to his feet.  
"No, I…I want to say sorry for…for my behavior earlier. And I also wanted to thank you, that you brought my hikari back."   
John didn't say anything and went out of the door and before closing it behind him he added.  
"Take care of Yugi and make sure he gets plenty of sleep for the next days. It would be better when he stays in bed and doesn't move too much, since he'll be very exhausted."  
Yami nodded and returned upstairs to Yugi, only to find him asleep on the couch. Their friends soon said goodbye and left. Yami sat down on the armchair beside the couch and watched his aibou sleeping, his chest gently going up and down with his breaths.  
"You should go to bed."  
"So should you, grandfather."  
"I'm heading to bed, but I wanted to bring Yugi into his bed, so he'll be more comfortable."  
"Go to sleep, grandfather. I'll take care of Yugi." Salomon said goodnight and headed towards his bedroom while Yami picked Yugi up with care, so he wouldn't wake the sleeping boy up. He kept his eyes on Yugi's face while carrying him to their shared room. He changed Yugi in some pajamas, put him in their bed and tucked him in. He never broke his gaze on Yugi, reached behind him for the desk chair and sat down beside the bed.  
  
  
~~~the next day~~~  
  
He woke up with his head on his arms which lay on the bed. Yami groaned, realizing that falling asleep on a chair wasn't that good. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, wondering what had woken him up. He noticed Grandpa sitting on the bed, gently stroking Yugi's hair before he looked at Yami with a small happy smile on his lips.  
"Good morning, Yami." Yami returned the smile and the greeting. He contently watched his aibou sleeping peacefully. He felt through their connection to see if Yugi was still deeply asleep and to make sure that Yugi really was back and that he wasn't imagining it. He frowned when he noticed the minor pain Yugi's mind recognized in his sleep. Yami had noticed that Yugi's body had been covered in band aids and bandages, but he hadn't given them a second thought since he had just been so happy to have his other half back.   
Frowning he took one of Yugi's arms in his hands and rolled the sleeve up to reveal the bandaged arm. Gently he started to remove the bandage while Salomon looked at Yugi's arm, frowning too. Even though Yami was touching Yugi's arm with care he suddenly felt sharp pain exploding through their link. Since the link was wide open he could feel the pain flaring up in his own arm as if it was him who was injured. Pain clogged his mind and he heard himself and Yugi groaning because of it. It felt like something thick was slowly trickling down his arm and he retreated from their link far enough to not feel the pain as if it was his own, but close enough to feel that Yugi was in pain.  
He noticed the blood running down on Yugi's arm and dripping onto the bandages Yami held in his hand below the arm. Yami hadn't realized that Grandpa had left the room until he returned with the first aid kit. Yami twisted Yugi's arm carefully a bit until he felt the pain lessen. Grandpa put a clean bandage on Yugi's arm and Yami fully reopened the link again.   
Yami noticed aches almost everywhere in Yugi's body, the worst being in Yugi's back and the arm Grandpa finished bandaging. Yami sat down on the bed while Salomon used the chair he had occupied earlier.  
Yami gently lifted Yugi's upper body from the bed and took Yugi in his arms so he could look at his back. He lifted the pajama and heard Grandpa gasp as soon as they could see it properly. Yami had noticed the bandage around Yugi's torso when he had put him in his night clothes earlier, but he hadn't looked at Yugi's back at that time. Cold fury pulsated through his veins when he saw that almost every bit that was visible was covered in blue bruises and red marks where he had been hit. Looking at Yugi's chest brought another wave of fury to Yami since it was bruised too.   
Some of his emotions must have shown on his face as Grandpa took shortly one of Yami's hands in his own.  
//I'm definitely going to kill these people, even if it's the last thing I'm going to do.// He lowered Yugi back onto the bed and turned him slightly so that he wasn't laying on his back anymore which lessened the pain.  
/Yami? What's goin' 'n?/  
//Nothing, Aibou. Go back to sleep.//  
/Why are you furious?/ Yugi's voice was sounding more awake even though he was physically still asleep.  
//We can talk about this later, ok?//  
/'k, Yami./  
"Yami? Is something wrong?" Yami looked up when he heard Grandpa talking to him.  
"No, nothing is wrong. I'm just trying to get Yugi's consciousness to go back to sleep."  
"He is awake?"  
"Mentally, yes."  
"Then say hi from me and tell him to rest some more."  
"Will do." Grandpa left the room again, saying that he had to open the shop.  
/Is Grandpa there?/  
//He was. He says 'hello' and 'go back to sleep'.//  
/But…/  
//No 'buts' Aibou. I feel that you are exhausted.//  
/Am not./ Was Yugi's weak reply.  
//Are too.//  
/I'm cold./ Yami moved Yugi's blanket so he could slip into the bed beside Yugi.  
//Do you feel that? Is it better?//  
/Yes, thanks./ Yami wrapped his arms around his aibou, providing him with as much warmth as possible.  
/You are tired, Yami./  
//Am not.//  
/Are too./ And a few minutes later, both boys were asleep.  
  
  
  
  
~~~ Owari ~~~  
  
  
See, I didn't kill him ^___^ I could never kill a character…erm permanently.  
The sequel will be up when I find the time to type it.  
Please comment ^_^.  
Seren. 


	16. Review replies and small note

Review replies:  
  
  
@ cloud-1-3-5: Thanks for the compliment. I really did my best and this is the first story I actually finished without giving up in the middle ;).  
  
@ Yami-Yugi3: That's what it was supposed to be ^__^  
  
@ Sophia2: That was my intention to make people belief that Yugi died. In the sequel it gets clear why he was over the 48 hours mark.  
  
@ The Perpetually Hyper One: I have to agree on that. *jumps around* I let him live - or better my muse let him live ;)  
  
@ Karalen the Wood Elf: Thank you *glomb* I'm hurrying with the sequel but I'm already stuck at the second chapter T.T  
  
@ katiekat1414: Thanks for the compliment ;) The sequel is already up, but I'm getting nowhere with the second chapter :(  
  
@ Si'ver: I don't know yet what Yami will do, but I hope it will hurt *evil laughter*   
  
@ gfe: I'm hurrying, but I was on vacation, so I couldn't continue since it was too hot in the room where the computer was (damn rooms under the roof)  
  
@ Adrienne/plushies and Krystal: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! *tackle-glomb* The permanent thing only counts for my fav characters so be warned ;)  
  
@ darkness shadow: I hope the sequel will be as good as you think LY is. I'm giving my best and I'm already stuck -_-°  
  
@ blah: First thing: Threatening me won't help, since I have no control over my muse who makes me write everything ^___^ Second: I can't kill my fav charas, I tried but I just can't *sigh*  
  
@ silver-fox20: I hope you enjoyed the rest of the story too ^__^  
  
@ Mikomi Rae: Thanks for the compliment and I'm glad that I seem to have managed to write a tear jerker ;)  
  
@ The Insane Otaku AKA Caterfree: The story is finished, but there is a sequel up. I'm glad you liked my story ^__^  
  
@ rebel_phoenix: *blush* thanks for the compliment. I'm still pondering over your question where I got the idea with that drug... actually it just developed. I had that crazy picture of Yugi completely wrapped in a blanket in my head and thought about a story that fitted to that picture ^__^°  
  
@ Sakura30: There is the sequel (that really is currently going slow) which will explain what happens to the kids and the other men ^__^....hmmm... Bakura helps Yami? That could be good. I'll see if I let him help ^____^  
  
@ Sansi: Eigentlich fällt es mir sogar leichter die Stories auf Englisch zu schreiben, da mir da einfach die treffenderen Vokabeln einfallen ;)  
  
  
Notice: The sequel is finally up *jumps around in joy* It is called "About recoveries...." and has two parts, but the title will change as soon as I finish the first part of it. I somehow seem to have more time too write when I don't have time. I have holidays and almost no motivation or inspiration -_-°  
  
  
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ AND/OR REVIEWED LY (and understood it with my spelling and grammar mistakes :P).   
DOMO ARIGATOU!! 


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